The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-21
Tells of Confusion Which
Would be Brought About
by Changes in Congress.
FOR PROTECTIVE TARIFF
ROOSEVELT WOULD REVISE THE
TARIFF SCHEDULES WHICH
ARE HARMFUL TO THE MA
TfON-IS APART FROM TRUSTS
Publishers Pressl


ten by President Roosevelt to Con
gressman James E. Watson of Rush
vile, Ind, reviewing and approving OF
the work of the ~asent congress and
| declaring: ITO change the leadership
and organization of the house at this
time means to bring confusion upon
those who have successfully engaged
in the steady working out of great
and comprehensive scheme for the
betterment of our social and civic
conditions has been made public by
the Republican congressional cam
paign committee here.
The president declared that such
change would result in hurtful
oscillation between the extreme radi-
cal and the extreme reactionary. The
president said also that he hopes the
present congress will enact laws pro-
hibiting political contributions by cor
porations, lowering the duties on i'm
ports from the Philippines and limit
ing the number of hours for railway
employees
OF the tariff, Mr.. Roosevelt says:
I'VE stand unequivocally for pro.
tective tariff and we feel that the
phenomenal Industrial prosperity
which we are now enjoying is not
lightly to be jeopardized, for it would
be to the last degree foolish to secure
here and there a successful benefit at
the cost OF general business depres-
sion. But whenever a given rate or
schedule becomes evidently disadvan-
tageouS to the nation because of the
changes which go on from year to
year in our conditions, and where it
Is feasible to change this rate or
schedule without too much dislocation
of the system, it will be done, while
general revision of the rates and
schedules will be undertaken when
ever it shall appear to the sober busi-
ness sense of our people that on the
whole the benefits to be derived from
making such changes will outweigh
the disadvantages; that is, when the
revision will do more good than harm.
Let me add one word of caution,
however. The question of revising
the tariff stands wholly apart from
the question of dealing with the so
called 'trusts-that is, with the con-
troll of monopolies and with the super
vision of great wealth in business, es-
pecially in corporate form. The only
way in which it is possible to deal
with those trusts and monopolies and
this great corporate wealth is by ac-
tion along the line of the laws enacted
by the present congress and its iElme-
diate predecessors. The cry that the
problem eau be met by any changes in
the tariff represents, whether con-
sciously or unconsciously, an effort to
divert the public attention from the
only method of taking effective ac-
tion.'
Mr.. Roosevelt says that if only
partisan issues were involved in this
contest, he should hesitate to say any
thing publicly in reference to it, but
he does not feel that this is the case.
He declares that with Mr. Cannon as
speaker. the house has accomplished
a literally phenomenal amount Of good
work. The interests banded to-
gether to oppose the canal" says the
letter. "are numerous and bitter, and
most of them with a peculiarly sinis- |
ter basis for their opposition. Had
congress been either timid or corrupt, |
and had not the leaders of congress
shown the most far-sighted resolution |
IN the matter, the work of building |
the canal would never have been be- |
gun, or, if begun, would now have |
halted"
The president concludes: "Con- |
sress has given. us an interstate com |
nerce law, which will enable us to |
in thorough fashion a super
vision over the common carriers of |
his country, so as, while scrupulously /
their proper interests, |
% prevent them from charging exces-
sfve rates; to prevent their favoring |
me man at the expense of another, |
md especially a strong man at the |
expense OF weak man. and to re-
Iuire them to be fully accountable to
he public for the service which to |
heir own profit they render the |