Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-04-09
Cur Washington Letter.

week In an extraordinary speech
Secretary Root has announced that
there must be no tariff finkering'r,
that the sacred DingIey schedules
must not even &c touched beforeeIec-
ton, FOR ST a short session. and, a
the session following the election
viii be short, this postpoDes the
tariff revision by its friends, of
which Mr. Root talks soconfidently,
until the winter of 1905-O6. Secre-
tary shaw has taken occasion to
deprecate all tarif revision, not
even holding out the promise Of a
reform in the system in 1905. Mr..
Shaw urges that high prices bring
prosperity and the trusts and all
their attendant evils are to be pre-
ferred to competition. No Tariff
revision for the present and pro-
baby none for the future, this seems
TO be the sum and substance Of re-
publican doctrine.
-
There is a seriously discordant
voice, In the republican concert
however, a voice which, now that
there is no election-at hand. dares 70
tell the truth. 1t is that of Repre-
sentative Babcock Of Wisconsin who
cries out against the dilatory tactics
of his party and frankly states that
the Dingley tariff Law is robbing the
American people of millions OF dol
lars, is transferring from the pockets
of the people of the Steel Trust
along, upwards of so, 000, 900 an
nually. This is how Mr. Babcock
explains the situation. Hesays that
protection means the equalization OF
the cost of American labor. On an
article, which costs to produce in
thiseountry 81 % and which. because
of cheaper labor, can be produced
abroad for 81, Mr.. Babcock would
place tariff of % cents and he un-
besitatingly says that every cent OF
tariff above that amount means the
robbing of the people. The Steel
Trust can produce steel cheaper
here than it can be produced any
where else in the world, therefore
the tariff of nearly $lS per ton which
is now assessed is actually q license
TO the trust to rob the American
people of that amount on every ton.
What the republicans will do to Mr..
Babcock when they learn that he
has talked thus to newspaper cor
respondents remains to be seen.
-
Great expectations have been en-
tertained with regard to the Presi-
dent S speeches in the West and those
members of his party who looked
for someencouragemen in the nature
of promise of tariff relief have
been disappointed. The President
has already demonstrated that he
has been converted to the stand
pat policy of Dir. Hanna and other
high protectionists. Amazement is
expressed in Washington at a trick
Ct which Mr.. Roosevelt was guilty
in Milwaukee. He pretended to
quote in entirety his famous Minnea-
polls speech but attempted to take
advantage of the memory of his
rudience and omitted without re-
ference one of the most important
statements made in that speech.
In his speech of September 2, 1901
Mr.. Roosevelt, then Vice President.
said, The vast individual and cor.
porate fortunes, the vast combina-
tions of capital which have marked
the development of our industrial
system, create new conditions and
necessitate change from the old
attitude OF state and nation toward
property" These words the Pre-
sident deliberately omitted without
reference to or or explanation of the
omission. In the opinion of demo
cratic statesmen no clearer evidence
is required that Mr.. Roosevelt has
abandoned the cause of the people
and espoused that of the capitalist
and the monopolist.
-
1t is stated in Washington ON ex-
eellent authority that the President
has sharply rebuked Secretary Shaw
because of the latter's activity in
making changes in the personnel of
the Treasury staff. Heretofore.
Mr. Shaw has had free scope in the
making of changes. He has been
permitted to get rid of Secretary
Spauiding and topromote his private
secretary, Armstrong, q young man
only % years old, to the important
position of Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury. Recently, however.
Secretary Shaw has listened to
charges preferred by Wilbur +.
Wakeman, whom Mr.. Roosevelt
ccposed, against George Robinson
whom the President appointed Assis-
tant Appraiser only two weeks ago
and the Secretary is now investi-
eating Robinson. The Secretary