Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-03-17
ACTION OF CONGRESS-
W HAT TARIFF LEGISLATION is TO BE
EXPECTED?
C.-speaker Henderson Presents an
Array of Sound and Convincing
Aeasons why Tariff Revision Is Not
called For at This Time.


In respect to the tariff, what II any
Hesitation may be eXpecteds Ihero
Will be only one question before the
congress-:
Should it be reduced?
Two reasons are offered in favor OF
reductions:
l'irst.--To kill the trusts
s,ccond.-To reduce on those interests
that are too highly protected.
How is congress TO reach trust made
goods? What percentage IL made Dy
trusts? The highest estimate Is one
h!th of the country's manufactured
product, and it is conceded that the
trusts have nothing to do with the re-
muning four-tfths. Can congress AZ
ford to cripple this four-hfths during
such time as the one-tifth is pursued
with the legislative knife! Besides,
how is the errdistinction to be made!
How are these interests to be segre-
gated: To ask these questions will de-
stroy the argument in favor OF this
plan unless it is submitted to one VINO
is troubled with ignorance or willful
disregard of law and facts. II A Is
sick. will il cure him to make sick!
This is surely losing sight OF tine
greatest good to the greatest NUMBER
II trust made goods g., goods manu-
factuled by Il truSt-are bad, does that
prove that goods untainted by the
trusts are also bad? And suppose you
destroy the one-tifth made in this
country by a radical lowering of du-
ties are there not other countries max
ing the same things, and Will not they
promptly take advantage of the reduc-
ton, attacking the four-dfths OF non
trust made goods? Is there not thus
introduced a new foreign competitor
into your American field armed for d
destructive attack upon the whole five-
tfths Of our manufactured product!
Congress will doubtless take time to
think over these propositions ana sun
more time before acting upon them.
AS to the second reason for reduc-
tion all admit that certain goods are
TOO highly protected, and with respect
10 others the protection Is not hlgn
enough. The fundamental reason for
protection is to make up TO our laboring
interests the difference between wages
here and abroad. In other words. we
add u duty TO foreign made goods to
make them as dear as they would be
if made in this country by our own
we'll paid. we'll fed we'll housed and
highly skilled labor. Our law is based
upon this theory, and. without going
back among the fathers or beyond Re
publican days, we find among its adNo-
Gates Lincoln, Grant, Mckinley, Blaine,
Reed and Dingley and such men of the
present day as Cannon. Payne. DalZell
and Grosvenor of the house of repre-
seutatives and Aldrich, Allison. Hanna,
Spoouer, Foraker, Lodge, Depew and
the two Platts of the senate. 1t is
:; subject about which these men feel
strongly. and they will 90 to defeat be-
fore "surrendering to II free trade sen
timent that seeks to destroy the great
protective editice now blessing the
country.
II has been no trifling battle that Sc
cured protection to this United States,
and advantages have reached every
part of the land because of it. No
portion of our people has enjoyed its
beneficent fruits more fully than our
laboring classes. Though the trusts
have been developing and increasing i'll
number and strength, none has grown
greater than the labor trust. Its chiefs
need but touch Il single wire and every
trade will be in action rushing to its
own defense | say labor trust fear
iasSy, for there is now a compact or
81 aizaton of labor's capital, its brain
aud its muscle, and no trust is more
watchful more alert more unyielding
s'id more tyrannical than the labor
trust. | do not challenge the right OF
labor to organize and mass its capt.
tai for the common good, but this is
equally true of all kinds of capital, and
the Time has arrived when every kind
ul trust should feel the firm hand Of
governmental control and regulation.
Willie the house of representatives is
Republican and under present condi-
lions a free trade bill or one approx
mating free trade will never reach the
senate. better demonstrat ton of facts
and conditions must be made than is
yet before us. When legislative correc
ton of the tariff schedules becomes nee.
cssary, it must be and will be consd-
cred in the calm of national politics
and not before or during the heat of a
presidential battle. Congress and the
wise men of the country comprehend
this, and prediction is made that nc
hostile action will be taken during the
present session..
The increasing wealth Of the country
is not confined to trust made goods. We
are all growing richer, more powerful
and happier. The American home
whether situated on the farm, in the
city or in the village, is comparatively
a palace, and a protective policy more
than anything else has enabled our peo
pie to build such homes Immediate
conditions and experiences are not q