Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-08
Which Shall Controlp
Editor Of The Evening Star

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
We all remember when Hancock was the
democratic candidate for President how
he was jerred and ridculed because he said
'.the tariff was a local ISSUE" and how
that was used to make the voters believe
he was incompetent to properly fill that
high Office
Now when 1t Is proposed to make a treaty
with Cuba by which the tariff on sugar and
tobacco shall be reduced 20 per cent, the
opposition is wholly local. and not national
It comes entirely from those localities
which are interested in the production Of
sugar-from Michigan and California. where
sugar beets are grown and small section
of Louisiana where they raise sugar cane.
The fact that in return for this 20 per cent
we get reduction of from 20 to 40 per cent
in the Cuban tariff on those articles which
we sell to Cuba. and which includes arti-
cleS from every state in the Union, does not
seem to be considered at all by those who
think their local interests may possibly be
affected, and that. too, when some of the
best posted of those interested in beet SUI
gar say 1t will not materially affect their
business Here We have an object lesson.
showing beyond question the truth OF Han
cocks statement.
Again. when it Is proposed to modify the
tariff on steel and coal. In the production
Of both Of which We lead all the nations Of
the world. and which we have commenced
to export in large quantities, the local In
terests Of Pennsylvania are arrayed In solid
phalanx in opposition. showing again that
1t is in fact a local issue. The fact that the
enormous home demand for steel, and the
strike in the three counties OF Pennsylvania
where anthracite Is mined. has temporarily
stopped the export OF steel and coal, does
Lot affect the question. for no intelligent
person believes that Is anything but tenn
porary condition.
1t is. therefore. simply a question as to
which shall control-the local or the ma
tional interests? Looking at 1t from q ma
there could be no question In the mind Of
any reasonable person. but unfortunately.
while Congress was designed to legislate
for the nation as a whole. there are always
who seem to be Influenced mainly. II not
wholly. by the interests Of their localities.
1t is what will please their immediate con-
stituents. and thereby enable them to re-
tain their positions.
IT'S true, pity It's It's true"
OF course there are exceptions to this
rule. for there are always In both houses
men who take broader and more compre-
hensive view. whose vision is not confined
to their immediate locality but takes in the
whole nation. as that Of q national legisla-
tor should.
In his recent address Senator Hoar said,
in effect, that the great mass of the men in
the Senate of late years were the equals
of Webster and Clay. and that, therefore.
If they were there now they would not
stand head and shoulders above their COL
leagues as they did in their day. Who
that knows anything Of the public acts of
Webster or Clay would believe that either
of them. il there now. would be controlled
by local. instead of national. tnterests2 Can
any doubt that they would favor the pend
ing reciprocity treaties and the modification
of the tariff on those articles which no
longer need protection? Surely not. They
were statesmen. and not demagogues.
Which OF these elements will prevail In the
coming contest the record soon to be made
will show. and 1t is the hope Of every true
lover Of mis- country that the national and
not the purely local interests shall triumph.
w. C. DODGE.