Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-22
No rnrlff Relief IN sight.

No Tariff Relief IN Sisht.
Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts, is
quoted as saying that he is convinced he
e mot get the Philippine Tariff bill out
OF the committee OF which he is chairman,
during the present session Of Congress.
This means that there viii be no legisla-
ton in the direction Of tariff reform by
the Congress now sitting at Washington.
And there is room for the suspicion that
Senator Lodge will not work tho perspira-
tion out Of his manly brow in efforts to
compel his committee TO make special
efforts to get the Philippines Tariff bill in
shape for reporting TO the Senate very
soon He may lament in words all he
chooses. but the fact remains that there
win be no works by him to show his faith
in the propriety of any kind OF tariff re-
form at the hands of the present Congress.
He is a "standpatter" and always has
been whenever the suggestion of a modi-
hcation Of Dingley tariff rates arose.
Even the fierce complaints of the business
interests of his own State of Massachusetts,;
even party revolts there that seriously
threatened his continuance in tho Senate
have failed to convert him from the hide
bound protectionist that he is to "a feeling
of acquiescence in the most moderate
concession to tariff reform.
Even among the tariff advocates the
justice Of concessions in favor Of the Philip
pines is not disputed. But, while they
admit that the trade Of the Philippines
should be relieved Of some Of the burdens
of tariff taxation, they refuse to vote in
that direction. The reason is obvious.
The people Of the Philippines. although
they have no defined political status, are
subjects Of this government. They arc,
therefore, a part and parcel Of the United
States, although denied any voice in its
legislative affairs. Now, to make any con-
cossions in tariff taxation for the purpose
of relieving their trade, would be an adj
mission that the tariff does not stimulate
trade, but, on the contrary, depresses and
hampers il. Relief to the people of the
Philippines would be instantly followed
by a clamor for relief to the people Of this
country, who find themselves compelled
by the operations OF the protective tariff,
to pay higher prices for home productions
in the home markets than they are sold
for in the open markets of the old world.
Therefore, in order 10 avoid the painful
necessity of giving attention TO the de-
mands of the people of the United States
for relief from the expressions Of tariff
taxation on trade, the "standpatters" in
the Senate, of whom Senator Lodge is the
chief viii refuse to grant the demands
Of the people of the Philippines And
Lodge, standing on the steps of the syna-
gogue of protection, lays the blame for
non-action upon Senate committee Of
which he is chairman.
There is a probability that for similar
reasons the bill to remove the tax from
denaturized alcohol which promises such
great benefits to the people by opening the
way TO the use of this article, thus cheap
ened by the removal of the heavy tax
burden, for heat, light and power purposes
will also be railroaded upon the tariff
sidetrack in the Senate. IL is true that
this bill proposes no interference with ex-
isting tariff rates, as it aims to remove
an internal revenue tax. But the result
would be 20 cheaper the cost of denatur-
lied alcohol and open the way for It's
general introduction in competition with
gasoline, kerosene and other oil products
now monopolized by the tariif-protected
Standard oil Trust Now, il is an un-
bending principle of the true tariff advo-
cate TO not only "stand by the tariff
upon all occasions, but likewise to stand
by the benedciaries Of tho tariff. To
open the way to competition with the
products of the Standard Oil Trust by
the removal of even an internal revenu,
tax would. in their eyes, be as high a Grim,
against the tariff as to attack the tariff
itself
Therefore, No tariff relief for the peopl,
of the Philippines; no cheap denaturizec
alcohol for the people Of this country
The payment of tribute to the standarc
Oil Trust must bo continued.