Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-08-31
W here the Standpatter is Weak

The Minneapolis Journal in an ed
itOrial discusses the tariff question,
and says: "Undoubtedly the argu-
ment of the "standpatter' that tariff
revision has always been attended by
business depression is the most effect
i've weapon he can employ in defense
of existing high schedules Business
people are timid, manufacturers
and dealers are cautious and the ''let
we'll enough alone" argument reaches
a great many people.
1t is a good argument so far as it
goes, but it is the argument of the
favored beneficiary seeking to retain
ad vantageS to which he is no longer
entitled and which in justice to the
many he should have been compelled d
to yield, in part at least, long ago
But there is one point in connec-
tiOn with this argument which most
people OverlOUk. The conclusion that
tariff revision necessarily means ser
iOuS disturbance of business is drawn
been revised not by it's friends but 10y
its enemies. Tariff revision as we'll
as tariff making belongs to the friends
of the protective system, and it is
be done by the friends Of protection
as that the tariff be made by them
in the first place; and with revision
undertaken and carried thru by the
friends of the protective system there
is no reason why any industry should
suffer the loss of any advantages or
benefits to which it is entitled.
Furthermore it is important that
tariff revision be made by the friends
of protection because experience has
shown that when it's friends neglect
their duty and fail to adjust the
schedules to changed conditions when
they ought to do so they lose the op-
portunity and the power is passed
over to other hands.
That is the menace of the present
situation, and that is the most seri-
dustry of the country tO-day-nOt
that the tariff may be revised, but
that it may be revised by those who
are hostile to protection and will ex-
press that hostility in law. Probably
if they could realize the proximity of
that danger, if they could appreciate
how much the menace of democratic
asccndency threatens, the protected
Industries and their representatives
in congress would talk less glibly
about 'stand pat' and would be more
concerned in such revision as would
best conserve their interests.
1t is true that the tariff question
is not vigorously agitatcd at present,
that there is no general exhibition of
popular feeling on the subject and
the probabilities seem to be that the
present campaign may be fought thru
without tariff being forced to the
front as the vital issue. But that
this can be done thru another presi-
Dental campaign there is no reason
to believe. The next democratic can
didate for the presidency will make
his campaign on the tariff issue if it
is not sooner disposed of by a republi-
can congress. When that time ar
rives and no progress has been made
toward an ajustment of the tariff
schedules in accordance with present
the friends of protection
will have subjected their system to a
peril which it can scarcely escape,
but which might be easily avoided
thru timely and honest regard for the
rights of the many against the privi-
leges of the few The next house
may not be elected upon the issues of
tariff reform. Postponement by the
presidents assistance may be beyond
this campaign, but the republicans
have no reason to hope that they
ran pass this issue into the cam plign,
of 1908 without taking chances on
sacrificing the control of the govern
ment, which party prudence and in
dustrial wisdom will not Justify.