The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-11-01
TARIFF REVISION
DANGEROUS WORK
DEMOCRATS NEVER SATISFIED
WITH CONDITIONS.
SHAW pUNcTURED THEIR SAILS
Secretary Of Treasury Reaches Block.
ton in His Tour to osksloosa--
Large Meetings and Great
Enthusiasm.
SHAW pUNcTURED THEIR SAILS

Blockton, Iowa, Oct. 81, Secretary
Shaw reached this place today in his
tour Of Iowa that will bring him to
Oskaloosa Thursday evening, Nov. 1.
He is having splendid meetings every
where, and is greeted with the wild
est enthusiasm. His address here
this morning was devoted principally
to discussion of the tariff, and he
in part said:
1T is always amusing to note how
those who desire a lowering of the
tariff find reasons in every condition
to justify their argument. Each
change in condition but emphasizes
their demand. Five years ago cur
rent revenues exceeded current ex-
penditures, and the democrats de-
manded that the tariff should be re-
adjusted so as to prevent an accumu-
lation. Then because of the purchase
of the Panama canal strip and be-
cause of slight falling off in reve-
nues there was a deficit, the demo-
Gratis insisted that the tariff should be
lowered so as to invite larger import
ations and therefore larger revenues.
Larger importations, however, follow
ed increased prosperity. Revenues
are again excessive and our friends
still demand that the tariff shall be
revised, but this time as at first, be-
cause the revenues are excessive.
Tariff and the Farmer.
knowledge that tariff is to be
lowered is quite sufficient to disturb
business conditions, though no legis-
lation is actually passed. During
Mr.. Cleveland's first administration
he recommended lower tariff, and
the Mills bill, in harmony with his
recommendation, passed the House.
The Senate was republican and re-
fused to pass it. Pending these nego-
tiations, however, the price of live
stock sold in Chicago fell off $36.000,-
900, or an average of over $5 per head
on horses, steers, cows, calves, pigs
and sheep.
"a friend of mine was in Boston tne
day congress convened in 1S93s for
the purpose of selling his wool He
was offered "a cents pound. He re-
fused to sell for less than % cents
and started home. The next morning
he picked up the daily paper and read
President Cleveland's recommenda,
tion that the tariff be taken off wool.
He Immediately telegraphed the firm
that he would accept "a cents a
pound. He received an answer as fol-
lows: We, too, have read the Presi-
dents message
Business Adjusts Itself. E
IF it be urged that this argument
carried to the extreme will prevent
any revision of the tariff at any time,
answer that it leads no more to
such a conclusion than does the ar
gument that the tariff shall be revised
whenever conditions change lead to
the conclusion that the tariff should
be revised each year. No tariff was
ever perfect and conditions never re.
main the same for eighteen months.
If congress were to attempt to correct
every inequality or to change the
tariff to meet every changed condi-
tion, it would do little else than to
revise and re-revise schedules.
Gas a matter of fact, business ad-
justs itself to tariff laws much more
readily than can congress adjust tar
iff laws to business. The tariff will
be revised in due time. Its date no
one has a right to say. All anyone
can say is that the party in power,
and certain to remain in power, pre-.
sents well-nigh solid front and is
in harmony with the President that
the tariff shall not be revised during
the present administration. In this
as in everything else, your congress
man is in absolute harmony with his
party and with the President This
is sufficient for the present. The last
platform declared that rates of duty
should be readjusted only when con.
ditions have so changed that the pub
lie interest demands their alteration
Neither the executive branch nor the
legislative branch Of the government
has yet reached the conclusion that
the time has arrived when it should
be revised"