Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-02-16
"FRIENDsa OF THE TARIFF.
Those Who Howl Against Any Re-
duction of Present outra-
geous Schedules.

There are pretty strong evidences in
the dispatches from Washington that
tariff revision has been effectually
shelved for some time. That a strong
popular sentiment in favor Of it exists
cannot be doubted; but, on the other
hand, that a strong private element is
opposed to it is equally positive. The
power of this opposition element might
surprise us, says the Indianapolis News
(ind.), if it were not for the demonstra-
tons. CT its ability to drown the popu-
lar voice in the p~ast-notably, when a
democratic congress passed that Who'll
ly inconsistent law called the Wilson
act, which a democratic president re-
fused to sign. We hear much talk of
the necessity Of the tariff being revised
by its friends" whenever there is a prop
osition to reduce the graft TO- enjoyed
from it by private interests; but who
are the real friends of the tariff, is begin
ming to be a question, and some con-
sistent protectionists seriously doubt
if those who howl against any reduc-
llOA VI, ltlC plCoChJ Outrageous RSASuulCo
are, after all, either the best friends Of
the tariff or of the party that claims
protection" as one of it's fundamental
policies.
The suspicion grows that these people
are only the friends of themselves,
comfortable in the optimistic attitude
that they don't care what happens as
long as it doesn't happen to them. We
are rapidly reaching a point where peo-
pie realize that a revision of the tariff
by its friends" is not so desirable as
has heretofore appeared to the protec-
tionists. And as a matter of considera-
BILE doubt if any revision of the tariff by
the republicans would bring about the
relief hoped for. The influences bear
ing on the party are so moving that we
always find after its revision the tariff
Is higher than ever. Whether the re-
publicans in congress could, under any
circumstances, get entirely away from
these influences is problematical. The
main hope Of relief from tariff oppres-
sion must lie in the democrats who make
! no claim to being friends of the tariff
from a protection point Of view. But
, even here the hope only lies in the real
democrats. And they will have a hard
fight to make their policy go. For they
are carrying the burden of a lot Of men
such as German, of Maryland, who are
not democrats, and never We're; who are
republicans in everything but name and
association, and who would undoubtedly
be o~ut-and-out republicans were it not
for the influence of heredity and en-.
vironment.
Before we can have any real tariff re
vision, which is tariff reform, we shall
have to wait, we fear, until there are
enough democrats in congress to over.
come the influence not only of the re.
Npublicans, but of their own %renegades
If such a time shall come, then we shall
see who are the real friends of the tariff
and the real friends of the tariff will
prove the friends of the people rather
than of the interests which are profitins
hugely by virtue of the tariff at the ex.
pense of the people. The outlook jus
now is far from encouraging fer thost
who are far-seeing enough to appreciate
the necessity for tariff reform, but tina
tariff reform will come is just as certain
as the passage of time. What is now I'm
certain is how it will come. 1t may meal
a realignment of parties, but when sucl
a realignment takes place the rea
friends of the tariff-who are the friend
of the people-will be in the majority.