The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-05-04

tinued in power, 10 tar.ff revis'o -
He said that he did not want it, but it
would have to "come in the not dis
tant future" This letter having been
published compelled Mr.. Cannon to
make further statement Of his posi-
ton. He starts of 10y saying that the
amendment Of single schedule, or Il
few schedules, is entirely impracti-
cable" In his judgment nothing
can be done except 10y a complete Ie
vision of the tariff" That, he says,
would halt production, consumption
aud commerce for AT least twelve
mouths" and the result would prob
ally not be All improvement on exist
ing law" "For the general interest of
the whole country" he thinks the re-
vision toward which the common
mlnd,' in its desire for change is driv-
ing the Republican party should e
postponed as long as possil II.
This disagreement OF the uncommon
MUD of Speaser Cannon with that of
the common people is nothing new
with Republican politicians Their af-
filiatious with the corporations, trusts
and combres oblit- rates any sympa-
thy for The plund-red people. Blu;
tariff revision and other ref rms will
come, not through the aid of the un-
willing Republican Speaker Of the
House Of Representatives OF his party
associates but through the ardent re-
form efforts Of new C,ngreSs horn IF
the desires of Democracy and aidrd by
independent voters who are sick and
tired OF the plunderng Of the trusts
and the corruption and grating of the
Republican party.
The attitude of the Republican pol
itician towards the protective tariff
is like the heather before his idol it is
a fetch to worship aud too sacred TO
be touched. But when the time Of
stress and political trouble comes and
the tariff idol has shown itself to be
but brazen image aud its high priests
have exalted it to plumber the people,
then the voters will have none of ii
and cast it down and break it.
The Republican contention hat to
revise the tariff, 10y reducing the rates
on hides or coal, would destroy domes-
tic industry, is too absurd for argu-
ment. Would it ruin the crops or
cause the rain to come or the sun to be
darkened? The Beef Trust would lose
tritle of its enormous profits, but no
one believes that the farmer or cattle
grower would lose cent. Even the
abnormally high price for hides, now
being paid, has not increased the
price of cattle, for cattle are now sell
ling cheaper than for many years be-
fore, though the tariff protected Beef
Trust is getting high price for beef.
Take the iron and steel schedules
and abolish the tariff rates on the pro.
duets of the Steel Trust and that giant
corporation would still control the
market for its products, for the cost OF
transportation over the seas would be
protection enough and only inordinate
profits would be reduced. There is
hardly a schedule of the tariff that
does not shelter some trust or combine
that in all fairness to long-suflering
people does not require revision. The
Republicans refuse to NEEDLE with it.
so this duty must be intrusled to the
Democrats, who are pledged to a reas
enable reform that will prevent the
trusts selling cheaper abroad than here
and while producing enough revenue
to run the government will reduce The
cost of living to something more il
reason than now.