The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-01
Tariff Changes Must Be Made
BY Projections Friends.
REASONS QUITE APPARENT
Work Of Amending Cannot Safely Be
Left to The Enemies Of Principles Q
Of Republican Party.
TFRoM THE ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. |

TFRON THE ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS
The stand pat element is engaged in
telling its constituents why it is for
stand patism. On the whole this is a
good sign. 1t indicates growing appre-
hension of the restlessness manifested
in many quarters at their do-nothlng
policy But those stand-patters who see
or profess to see in that restlessness
only the bubbling of the democratic pot
are making Il very grave mistake In
Judgment and in tactics. 1t will not
change single vote to proclaim the re-
visionist sentiment as an anti protec-
ton sentiment The democrats in con-
gress are making good deal of the sit
uation, or trying to do so, but the real
strength of revision is simOn-pure repub-
lican and pro protection. Revision Is
urged. not to overthrow but to pre-
serve the principle of protection. Re
vision is the cult of those who want
the tariff revised by its friends, not
by its enemies. They are perfectly Will
ing to accept the republican plank on
this question in the 1904 platform. But
they object to the stand-pat interpre-
tation of that platform and insist upon
their own Rates should be readjusted,"
that platform declares, 'only when con
ditions have so changed that public IN
terest demands their alteration but
this work cannot safely be committed to
other hands than those of the republi-
can party" The revsionist contention
is that conditions have distinctly and
palpably so changed that public inter
est demands alteration now and has
been demanding it for some time.
The principal excuse of the stand pat
tiers is that times are prosperous and
that therefore public interest does not
demand any alteration. The tactical
blunder of this excuse and the logical
outcome of such an attitude is clear. As
long as industry fourishes the same
contention will hold. But there are
other causes of depression than tariff
tnkering, and with the inevitable lean
years is likely to come a reaction against
republican control and the task of re-
vision will fall into democratic hands.
To revise before reaction will not only
insure safe revision but will tend to
postpone and probably to prevent any
dangerous reaction. For the fact can
not be overlooked that there are two
elements uniting in the republican de-
mand for revision which are but loosely
bound to the republican party. On the
one hand there are those who have but
recently become republicans, who are
still inclined to be democratic in tariff
doctrine, who on that issue would not
find it difficult to 60 over to their old
allies but who would be satisfied with
modern revision; on the other hand
there is that large number of independ-
ent republicans who, though protection
lists, have always deemed the Dingley
schedules as useessly and uniustifiably
high, who are convinced that certain
schedules are maintained solely for the
benefit of special interests and who to
teach the stand-patters lesson or to
put an end to these abuses would swing
over to the democratic side.
1t is with these elements, the indepen-
tons, that the danger lies, not with the
large and growing number of republi
can revisionsts who, convinced thorough
" that revision is needed, would rather
90 without it than help to place the
government in the hands of IA party which
is not only hostile to protection but APP
parently incapable of judicious govern
ment; which is tinctured strongly with
financial heresy, and is apparently con-
type. This element will not desert the
party for revision, but it sees what the
danger of non revision is. Its warnings
are those of friends of protection and
republican control, not of their enemies.
These revisionists will probably help to
return many of the stand-patters) this
fall, but it will be in spite of, not be
cause of, their standpatism. Standpat
ism will proclaim this as a triumph and
blind itself to the truth. But the dan
ger will remain whether the stand pat
ters choose to see it or not