Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-04-09
AlscAILAEEoUs RGcoED
"FrIendly" TarIff RevlsIon.

Forced by persistent public sentiment
70 take notice Of the great issue-one that
no vicissitudes Of politics can drive from
public attenton-the "standpatters' Of
the House Of Representative, at least.
reluctantly give heed to the demand for
tariff reform. The Ohio potters com
PEELED Speaker Cannon 70 announce posi-
lively that there will he no tariff revision
~ this session Of Congress, although he
phinks il may come later, while the ex-
pose Of the operations Of the Watch Trust
by which American watches may be
purchased in Europe. brought back TO
this country and then sold At lower prices
ihan the Trust will permit its agents here
% cell them for-as made by Repre-
sentative Rainey Of Illinois, sent shivers
Of apprehension down the spines Of the
"standpatters", who realized that such
forceful obiect-lessons will not permit
them 10 successfully carry out their policy
Of silence and inaction
But Speaker Cannon deliverance in
response 10 the appeal Of the Ohio potters
remains the most significant evidence Of
the uneasiness that bubbles in the bosoms
Of the tariff champions. "The desire for
change which exists in the common
mind he wrote, "will drive the Repub-
lican party, If continued in power to
tariff revision" Hc is opposed TO any
change bat believes Il evil come in the
not distant future" And he wants the
work done by a Republican Congress, Of
course
Here, again, we have the same old CRY
for "rcvision Of the tariff by its friends. ii
Well, the people know what that means
Tho friends Of tho protective tariff are
the Republican members Of Congress
that Is, large majority Of them ''ranh
revision by its friends has ever been a
revision in the direction Of higher tariff
taxation. Tho morrill, tariff of 1862 made
substantial increase In tariff duties. but
it was am extraordinary measure, enacted
for the purpose Of raising some Of IN,
enormous revenue needed for the prose
cuiion Of tho Civil War No doubt thos,
who enacted It did so with the under
standing, implied II not expressed. thai
when the emergency of the war was over
tariff taxes would be reduced to peac,
footing. But these higher duties Of thl
Morrill, tariif-which, even though the,
were imposed as a war exigoncy, wen
far below the rates Of the prevailinl
tarih-gave the manufacturers of tn
country an idea Of the enormous prof
that would be their portion through tax
ing the people for their benefit, and the
the trouble began.
Since the enactment Of the Morri
tariff, the course of tariff taxation, throug
"revision by lis friends" has ever bee
upward and onward. The demand fc
tariff revision which a Republican Cor
gross ondeavored to satisfy by N
enactment Of the Mckinley tariff resulte
in a general increase in rates which scr
prices soaring upward and brought abo,
a political revolution Then came Il
Wilson tarif-the abortive attempt
q Democratic Congress to keep faith wit
the people, but which was only given u
opportunity 20 show what would resu
In the way Of increased revenues and low
prices from even that slight change in Il
trend Of tariff taxation. A financial pan
due TO dangerous legislation in the Z
rcction of currency initiation was a
tributed TO the Wilson tariff, although
oppressed the country months boio
that measure was even introduced in Co
gress, and began to subside before d
new tariff became operative, thanks
the courage of President Cleveland
forcing the repeal Of the Sherman Silv
Purchase law. Emboldened by this sen.
less scare, the "iriends Of the tariff aga
revised il, and the result was the Dinrl
bill, with its Trust promoting and 1ru
protecting features, under which I
people of this country are compelled
pay more for the products Of Americ
manufacture than these products are 50
for in the markets Of foreign oountr
So much for revision Of the tariff
it's friends" The people have had far {
much Of IT, Now. it would seem, is {
time for tariff revision by the friends
the people. The latter have suffer
enormously by the other kind of
vision, and they arc entitled TO at lei
fair trial Of tariff revision in the directi
of lower taxes and European prices
American made goods.
u-t frs