Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-08
"REV|SE THE TARIFF :"
Demand From a Leading Re-
publican Newspaper.
Is NO BETTER TIME
THAN NOW; THEN STOP FOR TEN
YEARS.
Will Throw Standyatters Into Confu-
sion Coming From Home OF
Protected Industries.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
PITTSBURG, Pa, September S.-The
leading editorial in todays issue of the
Pittsburg Gazette. published under the cap
ton. Revise the Tariff" will undoubtedly
be read with interest and other emotions,
mixed and mingled. in the north. the south.
the east and the west. 1t will, of course,
delight the revislonists to find that this
stawart republican newspaper. published
In the chief city of the great state of tariff
fostercd industries. demanding that the
tariff wall be lowered, and II will to the
same degree hurl confusion in the camps
of the standpatters And yet the GaZette's
editorial on its face has not SAVIOR of
heresy to the doctrine of protection, nor
does 1t smack of insncerity
In the last few months-the coming ses-
sion Of Congress looming large in the dis
tance-many of the leading republican pa
pers of the country have gone on record on
the tariff question The pros and cons of
the restless question have been gone over
once mere and the shadings of the dlversl-
fed arguments have depended for their
strength largely upon the geographical To-
cation from which they emanate. But In
terest and establishment. CONSERVATION ana
delight, and a host of other emotions be-
the Gazette for revision of the tariff ny the
Fifty-nnth Congress.
Brief and to the Point
There Is no Apologize preface to the de-
mand for revision. I'm this broad country
with its Astounding prosperity" says the
editorial. there are unmstakable signs of
unrest. The common people grown rotund
with fairness have forgotten the lean years
and are demanding change in the tariff
laws. There Is no better time than the
present to undertake revision. This Fifty
ninth Congress of the United States IS pecu-
liarly fitted for the task and ought to per
form the duty. Revise the tariff now and
then let it alone for the next ten years
That demand is certainly brief and to the
point. In explaining its position the Ga
zette says:
''In advocating present revision of the
tariff schedules the Gazette does not be-
lieve the existing tariff to be injurious to
many interests-it knows of none that is
harmed. The Gazette abates none of its
faith in the protective principle. 1t stands
as it has always stood, for protection to
American labor and American capital
There is no room to doubt that protective
tariff is the basis of national prosperity
The student of history cannot avoid that
conclusion If he follow the lines with
open mind. Revision of the tariff at this
time must be on sound protective lines and
no other.
"The Fifty-ninth Congress is a republican
er Joseph G.. Cannon is a protectonist;
Serene +. Payne. John Dalzell Charles H.
Grosvenor. ranking members of the COM
mittee on ways and means; these are
among the most ardent protectionists in
this country. With these men to lead and
a solid phalanx of republicans behind them
when the tariff is taken up for revision It
will be in the hands of its friends. 1t will
be revised right No industry. no material
interest will suffer. There ought not to be
any fear about revising the tarif while
these men, good and true. are there to do
II. There ought not to be any delay to q
less oppOrtune time.
There are many schedules that may be
reduced without exposing American indus
tries to foreign competition. Some of them
might be cut In half There are a few
schedules that should be raised to give bet
ter protection. Never has there been a more
favorable time to do this. Teeming pros
perity greetS the observer on every hand.
Mills and factories are overwhelmed with
orders, labor is fully employed, the fecund
earth Is yielding crops almost without par
allel in agricultural annals. If tariff adjust
ment Is shock to business there will never
come moment when business will be In
better condition to bear IL. This prosperit
practically continuous, began with the en-
actment OF the Dlngley law. That law was
the foundation on which 1T was built The
Fffty-ninth Congress can be trusted TO
frame new act without abandonment of
the Dingley principle; IN the Sixtteth Com
gress IL may not be so.'
AAAA6 at lie StdnQpalLerS.
The editorial takes fling at the stand
patters as follows:
Stand pat Grand advice from a sturdy
statesman who has passed TO the other life,
stand pat always when there Is no reas-
enable chance to draw anything better.
When the Hon. NJ. A. Hanna gave to n
poker term a national significance his
party stood pat on a hand that could not
have been improved. That hand has been
played for 1--WE years OF unexampIed pros
perity and there Is clamoring for a new
deal"
A solemn warning Is contained In tina
nnal paragraph of the editorial, phrased az
follows:
'1n decade the bitter lessons of lse3-4-5-6
have been forgotten. The full stomach
feels no pang OF the past hunger. Safety
u longing for change. Shall 1t be new
diet, or no food? By all means a new diet
Something nourishing and some beans II
the Fifty-nlnth Congress does its duty and
readJusts the tariff on a protective basis
with due regard to the protection of all
classes. the republican party can stand
pat for another ten years Prosperity will
abide in the land. II the Fifty ninth Com
gress does not do this. no man may say who
viii be called to do IT, II Is foolish to pre-
tend not to hear the call. II has been
given voice so often from the west to New
England. Senseiess though 1t be, IL is earn
est There must be- tariff revision and It
should be right revision, on protection lines
made by the able ways and means com
mittee OF the present and Endorsed by the
Congress that is soundly republican"
Probably few papers have a better claim
TO consistent adherence to party principles
with emphasis on that Of professionalism
the Gazette. Al the first national repub-
hcan convention In Pittsburg in the fifties
Deacon White. who then owned the paper,
was one Of the principal figures Addi-
tional strength Is given to today's tariff
editorial by the fact that Mr.. Oliver the
present owner OF the paper, has been for
years IN the steel business as an associate
OF Andrew Carnegie, and has practical as
well as theoretical knowledge OF the num-
Der of stones I'm the tariff wall.
The Vicious Lobster
The twenty -third annual report OF the