The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-08-11
MlLLER'S STATEMENT.

second district and has stated his
position on the tariff and reciprocity
in clear and explicit terms. We do
not know what his chances are foI
securing the nomination, but we dc
know that eighty per cent of the
republicans of the second district
and the state agree with him in the
position that he has taken. The
following is his statement:
First-I stand squarely upon the
platform adopted by the last re-
publican national convention.
Second-I believe in the sRoose,
welt idea," incorporated in the tariff
plank of our national platform,
enunciated by him in two messages
to congress and reiterated in his
speech of April, 1908, in Mime.
apolis, that the true measure of
protection is determined by "ample
recognition of the difference in the
cost of production, here and
abroad" Protection sufficient to
give American industries an equal
show with foreign competitors on
the basis of sufficient profit to safe
guard Investment and to give to all
the factors in production such
means of living and such opportuni-
ties for improvement as are neces-
sary to the development of people
fit to be American citizens, must be
maintained. Tariff in excess of
that is ultra-protection and ultra
protection is unjust and unwise.
l hold that, while the principle
of protection is sacred, tariff rates
are not infallible, and that these
rates should be changed as often as
existing conditions, whether grow
ing out of the formation of trusts
or otherwise, render the further
continuance of the present duty on
any article unnecessary or harmful
or inconsistent with the true
measure of protection as defined
by President Roosevelt in our plat
form. When such conditions arise
then such duties are outside the
principles on which the republican
doctrine of protection stands. FL
deity to and maintenance of exist
ing schedules are not necessarily a
part of republican doctrine.
FOURTH believe that the time
referred to in our national platform
has come when conditions have so
changed that the public interest
demands the alteration of certain
rates of duty, not upward but
downward. Our prese nt congress
man has chosen deliberately to
stand with those who would make
no reduction of tariff duties, and
has advanced Oh them by declaring
in his last tariff speech that the
"next revision may need to be up
ward, not downward" and "that
revision upward can always be
undertaken safely" The issue thus
formed | submit TO the republican
voters of this district for their
thoughtful consideration and deci-
sion.
Fifth-The present tariff on
lumber is unnecessary and harmful
and is inconsistent with the funda.
mental principle of protection. 1t
serves only to strengthen comblna,
ton which is today putting burden
on the home-builder, retarding de,
velopment and improvement, and
throwing mechanics out of employ
ment, by exacting unrightous profits
on lumber, besides injuring and
endangering our agricultural in
terests by depicting our forests.
Sixth-It follows from these
premises that [ favor the entire
removal of the tariff on lumber and
a reduction of the duties on com,
modities such as machinery, nipple
ments and other hardware, which
are now sold for export to foreign
markets for less than they are at
home.
Seventh Il believe in reciprocity
as defined and advocated by Blaine
and Mckinley. The declaration OF
President Mckinley that 'the ex.
pansion of our trade and commerce
is the pressing problem" is still
true. Widened markets widen
opportunity to produce and pro-
duction is the only source of wealth
Eighth-The national democratic
platform denounces protection as a
"robbery of the many to enrich the
few" The only grounds for areu-