The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-05-19
HE WAS ELECTED ON
 PROTECTIVE SYSTEM
Representative Brownlow and Others Think the Canal Commission Should Pay American Prices, as
 Cher Americans Do.
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

Washington, April 1s-(Speclal )-Re- publican congressman in Washington be- come more averse daily to discussing the administrations policy of buying canal material in the markets of the world. Few can be found who openly criticize the Presidents position, but privately it is plain to be seen that they are entirely out of the traces. Most of them regar1 it as fortunate that a presidential or con- gressional campaign is not on. They de- clare the Presidents assumption of the democratic position would make uphill work in free and open discussion before the people. Some of them go so far as to say that the policy promulgated will have a serious effect on the state elec- tions which take place this fall. The protective tariff which has brought about this condition in the markets will be hard to defend with the President taking a course against the present rates.
 As for the President himself, he is re- ported to be enjoying himself over the row he has raised in the camp of the ''standpatters'' and believes his position will receive cordial indorsement in the country at large. Of course, the Presi- dent made the race last year on a pro- lection platform and the republican con- gressmen are perfectly right in saying that the President in his speeches year or two before his nomination let it be understood that he was cordially in favor of the protective tariff system. It Is also pointed out that before his nomina- tion the President strongly antagonizeu the democratic position that the tariff fostered trusts. For instance in his wide ly heralded Minneapolis speech he said: One point we must steadily keep in mind. The question of tariff revision, speaking broadly, stands wholly apart from the question of dealing with tie trusts No change in tariff duties can have any substantial effect in solving the so-called trust problem. It is certain that great trusts or great corporations are wholly unaffected by the tariff"
 From the standpoint of those interested in the solution of the trust problem such change would therefore merely mean that the trust was relieved of the com petition of it's weaker American competi- tors and thrown only into competition with foreign competitors, and that the first effort to meet this new competition would be made by cutting down wages and would therefore be primarily at the cost of labor. prominent republican in referred to this speech said the President was right then and the same speech holds good today He referred to it as Roose- Welt before the nomination and Roosevelt after the nomination.
 The most important point in the con- troversity from a democratic standpoint, however, is the acknowledgement that the administration is not willing to pay the prices it makes the American con- sumer pay. The American farmer and workman has to pay almost double prices for the tools and machinery he uses, but the government refuses to pay this extra amount on great work involving the expenditure of millions.
 Representative Brownow of Tennessee said today that he had no word of criti- cism to offer of the administrations pol icy T take it for granted that the ad- ministration is doing the right thing" said he. "The President was elected on a protective tariff platform" said MT. Frownlow.
 Tn eastern Tennessee am engaged in the eectric railroad business. Recently I paid S33 and s36 a ton for steel rails delivered. Now I understand that these same rails can be bought abroad much cheaper. say s22 ton As far as I am personally concerned. however. cheer fully pay the American price I want to keep ID the standard of American labor"
 It is evident from MT. Brownlow's brief comment that he thinks the government a-so ought to pay the American price for the material used in the construction of the canal. though Mir. BrownIow did not care to say so.
 ! should not apply to houses where the boycott existed. The difference between the two propositions really covered all of the questions involved in the present strike, and at 1:S0 in the morning the meeting broke up. The members of the teamsters joint council announced that they would make a reply to the team owners tomorrow night
 Upon this answer depends the possible spread or it's virtual end.