Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-04-16

G1OsbCe utCanOGES 6TC nttEdGtfuE SOffiS
attention mere in political circles.
They are distinctly anti-tariff revis-
ion. They tell us that nothing can
be expected Of the republican party
in the way Of tariff revisios legisla-
ton in the next Congress. and it is
notice TO the people Of the country
that If they want any such thing or
any relief from the burdens of tariff
taxation or relief from the burdens
OF trust rapacity, they win have TO
elect democratic Congress and a
democratic administration. The
kind Of talk INDUCED in by the Pres
ident and his cabinet ministers is
distinct violation Of all the pledges
made TO the people by the repubi-
can party. II that party can afford
to stand pat on its violated pledges
then its up to the people. The Pres
idcnt not only tells US that his party
Is not going TO do anything it prom
Used but one can drive an OK team
through his logic and his consisten-
cy. In his speech on trusts at Mil
waukee, the President said: mot
only is the Legislation recently en-
acted effective, but in my Judgment
1t was impracticable to attempt
more How does he know it is eE-
fective until il has been tried !?
Again, we all remember that he was
demanding much more on his stump
ing last Fall, and when his Attorney
General was suggesting to Represen-
tative Tirtlefield what the President
wanted Gone. Littlefield prepared
the antitrust bill and got it through
the House, but it was pigeon holed
in the Senate by order of the trusts
and with the consent of the Presi-
deut. In his Milwaukee speech the
President spoke sarcastically of "al-
legged remedies" that seek to de
stroy the disease by killing the pa
tient. He then added: Others
are SO obviously futile that il is some
what difficult to treat them seriously
or as being advanced in good faith.
High among the latter ! place the
effort to reach the trust question by
means of the tariff. You can, OF
course, put an end to the prosperity
of the trusts by putting an end TO
the prosperity of the nation; but
the price for such action seems
high. 7" The prosperity of the nation
has nothing TO do with the prosper
ity OF the trusts. The trusts have
emerged from every panic and bust
ness depression absolutely unscath-
ed and fiOurishing as before, sim
ply because the tariff was still there
and still doing business at the old
stand. The President apparently
has changed his mind about being
able to do the taxpayers of the coun-
try some good by lowering the tariff
since be resigned from the Free
Trade Club in New YORK, shortly
after he was elected to the Assembly
there In 1884 on an independent,
fusion and anti-Platt ticket. He was
then speaking strenuously for free
trade and resigned only because he
thought and said in letter to Poult-
ney Bigelow, that he thought his
membership would stand in the way
of political promotion. In other
words, principles count for nothing
when the Office is in sight.
Again the President said in his
Milwaukee speech: I'VE should be
false to the historic principles of
our government if we discrimina-
ted either by Legislation or admin
stration, either for or against man
because of either his wealth or his
poverty" Now, that sounds good,
and il would be all right if it were
backed up by deeds" for as he
told US last summer, words are
only good when backed up by
deeds. " But the President belongs
to party that has enacted tariff
Legislation which does discriminate
in favor of a few and against the
many, and which protects monop-
olies and trusts while they prey
upon the people, and which permits
them to sell goods to foreigners at
10 to 100 per cent. less than is
charged here. What, then, becomes
of the Presidents fine phrasesP
What do these same trusts care for
his publicity" SO long as he does
not touch the tariff, which pro-
tects them in their game OF rob-
berry? What do they care for his
toy bureau andits sham restraints
iftheycan keeptheir tariff privileges?
Things are very dull politically
in Washington. but once in awhile
some member of Congress drops in
to do some work before the depart
ments and talks politics TO the news
paper men at night in the corridors
OF the hotels. Some of the leaders
OF the democratic party were here
recently and they discussed the
probabilities and possibilities of