The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-12-02
THE TARIFF AGAIN.


| United States will convene. 1t prom
Uses to be an interesting session from
| a political standpoint Just now po-
litical parties are in state of unrest
single issue which suffices to divide
the people of the country upon party
lines. For a long time in our history
the question Of slavery occupied the
boards. 1t was followed by the protec-
tive tariff question which for long
time exercised great spell upon po-
litical parties. Slavery has long ceased
to be sectional question. 1t seems
now that the protective tariff is about
to cease it's sectional character. Re-
publicans of the middle west are learn
ing the evil effects Of the tariff upon
them and in some sections Of the south
Democrats are no longer free traders.
The West is no longer solidly for
protective tariff. New England is no
longer solid for protective tariff and
the South is no longer solid for free
trade.
The Democrats in Congress have an
excellent opportunity to rehabilitate
the Party. By standing solidly in IA
vor of tariff reform they can prevent
the Republican Party from securing
the credit for the change in the tariff
schedules which is sure to come. Pres
ent conditions can not last. There is
little doubt that protectionism is at
the bottom of our financial evils. 1t is
as Henry Waterson says, more gro
tesque and odious then ever before;
honeycombed with abuse, swathed in
scandal and the very Supreme Being
of those who worship at the shrine of
Mammon." Everything the people of
the grain growing Middle West have
to buy is taxed to the bone under the
protective tariff while everything they
have to sell is priced in a free trade
English market. This can not last for
ever. Slavery and sectionalism out of
the way perhaps the Republicans of the
West who have been voting to impov-
erish themselves and enrich the East,
thinking that they were voting to put
down and keep down the rebels and
traitors of the South, may look again
and think again. There can be no nor
| NAL distribution Of the wealth Of the
country, never any equalization Of the
bounty of Heaven or the labor of man
under this protective tariff. 1t robs
the many to enrich the few. 1t has
polluted the fountain of our political
system. If all the Hobbies in all the
| state capitols and all the other Hobbies
| in the national capitol were combined
] the united Hobbies thus created would
not in resources and in power equal the
tariff lobby with it's attorneys in and
| out of Congress and its network OF
machinery and contrivances extending
| from one end Of the land to the other
| John Sharpe Williams has been Sc
lected to lead the small minority OF
Dmocrats in the Lower House. He is
an able and learned man. With the
tariff and its workings he is especially
familiar. He can, If he so wills, give
the Republicans during the coming
winter many an uncomfortable mo-
ment. What the Democrats in Con-
gress should do Is to stick strictly to
Democratic principles and pay less
heed to the effect that temporary ques-
lions may have upon their political
fortunes. The tariff Is bound to again
occupy the attention of the country
It must be settled and some day set
tied right. Faithfulness to principle
by the Democratic minority in Con-
gress may save the day for the Demo-
Gratis two, four and six years hence.