Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-05-25

wedge for a split in his party which will
rend il wide asunder This is the question
which is being discussed wherever politi-
cians or even businessmen, are gathered
together in Washington Judging by the
reports, in business houses aud clubs all
over the country. II one listens for few
moments to a groupof stand patters, as they
are called, who rigidly oppose any change
of the tariff schedules, he will be con-
WINGED that the Republican party is doomed
to disruption and defeat and their reason
ing is not surprising AS the servants OF
the highly protected industries all over the
country, Republicans in Congress have
been diligently opposing every move to-
ward lowering the tariff schedules and
have denied, with naughty indifference to
the fact that American manufacturers were
selling their products abroad for prices far
below those charged in this country They
have refused to listen to the people who
have read the last Democratic Campaign
Book, and who there saw long list of arti-
Giles with two prices opposite each, one the
price charged the foreigner, the other the
prices charged the American for the same
article, and with difference of about so
per cent. in favor Of the foreigner.
Now the American public is informed
that the claims of the Democrats are abb
solutely correct; that two ships which the
Panama Canal Commission wished to buy
were priced at ST, 10000 in this country,
while identical ships, constructed of steel
plates made by the American Steel Trust,
could be bought in Europe for $4,000
that the domestic price Of steel rails is S333
a ton, and the foreign price for the same
rails, with freight prepaid to Europe. is $40
a ton, and, incidentally, that the cost of the
rails is only $12 ton; that the protected
hogs have their hind feet in the trough"
and that it is high time they were taught a
lesson; that the tariff shelters monopoly
and that, 10 a word, the American con-
sumner is being robbed. And the inform
ant of the American people On all these
points is none other than President Roose-
yelt, the leader of the Republican party.
Is it any wonder that their stand patters
see defeat ahead; that they forsee their own
doom for the reason that they have always
been elected by the campaign contribu-
tions of the trusts, and now that the party
of which they are members must follow its
leader and elect to Congress men who viii
vote for revision, their reason for being
has ceased !?
It all came about in this way. The
President discovered that the Panama Ca
nal Commission was being robbed by a
combination of American trusts; that, as
the Democrats have always claimed, the
tariff has created monopolies which were so
bold as to try to rob the government which
by its favoritism has created them, and as
ungrateful as the viper which stung the.
bosom that cherished it. When rnmors of
this condition of affairs first reached the
President, he did not belieye them, but be
began an investigation. First he deter
mined to get rid of Admiral Walker,
chairman of the old Commission Con-
gress, that is a few leaders in Congress,
killed the bill that gave the President
authority to re-organize the Panama Canal
Commission, but the resourceful President
found a way" when he had gotten rid Of
Walker and the old Commission, he placed
men whom he knew in charge, aud told
them to report the facts to him. When
they made their report he found that the
rumors were true, and he became angry,
and used strenuous mot strong-but siren
Gus language, referred to the trusts as hogs
who had put not alone their fore feet, but
all four feet into the trough, etc., and then
he rendered his new famous decision that
the Commission should either compel the
American trusts to grant their largest for
eign discount, or else buy the machinery
and supplies for the canal abroad. The
President is protectonist, but he does
not believe in the perpetuation of sched-
ules which Will allow OF extortion, and he
is convinced that many Of the Dingley
schedules do that.
The stand patters are using every effort
to defeat the intent Of the President They
have spread unwarranted stories to the eff
feet that he purposes to load up the COM
mission before Congress can meet and pass
law compelling the purchase of only
American made goods at American trust
prices for the canal. That is not true
The President will do nothing Of the kind.
He has merely instructed the Commission
to make such purchases as are necessary
abroad if the Americans will not make
their prices right, but he knows full well
that the Americans VIII make their prices
right when they are compelled to do so.
There is very important Investigation