The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-10-14
TARIFF REVISION NEEDLESS
Democratic Free Trade Strategy Re-
sponsible Tor All the
Clamor. ~

Republican primaries In Massachu-
sets, as tar as held, are adverse, to the
advocates of tariff revision and reel
procity with Canada. The sober, COM
mon sense Of the rank and file OF Mas
sachusetts republicans takes the
worked-up agitation OF the revisionists
only at what 1t is worth. Inc state
says the st. Louis Globe-Democrat has
more than an average OF free-trade
workers. In addition to the democrats,
the mugwumps are pushers for free
trade, and there Is also . college ele-
ment, inexperienced In actual indus
trial affairs. that il singularly eager
to substitute closet theories for prac-
teal business knowledge. The free
trade clamor kept up In Massachusetts,
has much the appearance Of a calcu-
lated movement carried on for the ben
eft OF the democratic party, and 1t
would be hard to say what induce
ments and negotiations are In the
background. The mass of the republic
ans Of the state seem to take that
view Of it. They see no reason for
tariff ripping nor for begging Canada
for special tariff arrangements that the
dominion will not accept unless chiefly
advantageous to itself. In the reci-
procity conferences Of the Fast Canada
has shown keen sense of the desira-
bility of lettering itself In fixing reci-
procity details, and the bone and sinew
Of the people of Massachusetts, are not
deceived on that point. Nor can they
be fooled into war upon the Dingley
tariff by the democrats, mugwumps
and college visionaries, or the secret
allies of those who seek to end the
period of republican ascendency.
1t must be apparent to intelligent
observers that the noise about tariff
revision Is in substance and purpose a
piece of democratic free-trade strate-
gy. The Dingley tariff continues to
work WELL Customs receipts are in
creasing. The government revenue this
month exceeds expenditures by several
millions. Probably there will be
small deficit again this year, but no
occasion exists for far-reaching legis-
lation on that point. The treasury has
kept nearly even, though meeting
heavy naval expenditures and the cost
Of current operations at Panama, and
setting apart for irrigation the money
received from land sales in arid states
and territories. AS the treasury is al
most balanced in income and outgo.
the pressure for tariff revision can
only be explained as the same old free.
trade racket That 1t should present
itself under various DISCUSSES is an
acknowledgment that it knows itself
to be justly discredited, and that its
Identification with hard times Is too
clear and positive to admit Of its Of
fering icself simply and candidly on its
merits.
After all its beating of drums the
free-trade clique, attempting to operate
inside republican lines in Massachu-
sets finds itself outvoted at the pri-
maries. The masses of the party are
satisfied with the last national repub-
lican platform and with the tariff rec
Oiu Vi iCPuoilNdu COubTcSSto. w udI
tariff revisionists want to do is to get
their entering wedge into the Dingley
tariff and, with that beginning, proceed
to smash 1t, along with what 1t repre-
sents. All the enemies of protection
are in the revisionist ranks. Repub-
ucans training in that company will
be held under observation. The Ding
ley tariff. when the time comes. win
be changed, as far as It needs modif-
cation, by its friends and by the stead
fast supporters Of the protection of
American wages and American indus
tries. Though great pains have been
taken to fuddle Massachusetts, repub-
licans in behalf Of free trade and its
corollary of Canadian reciprocity, the
primary returns show the failure O:
the attempted deception.