The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1906-06-06
REVISION OF TARIFF
Opposed by Republican Leaders
as Impracticable.
OANN0N's EXTRAORDINARY VIEWS

The Common Mind" of the People IL
Giving Much Trouble 90 the Repub-
lIcans-Absurd Contention That TO
Partially Revise the Dingiey sched-
uIe would Destroy Home Industry.
Speaker Cannon has been smoked
out Of his tariff hole and forced to give
reason why the tariff should not be
revised. He declared In private let
ter to trust pottery manufacturer
protected from competition by the tar
lff that 1.-THE desire for a change which
exists In the common mind will drive
the Republican party, II continued In
power, To tariff revision" He said
he did not want 1t. but II would have
to come lin the not distant future
This letter, having been published.
compelled Mr.. Cannon to make a fur
Their statement of his position. He
starts off 10y saying that the amend
ment of a single schedule or few
schedules is entirely impracticable.'
In his Judgment nothing can be done
except by a complete revision OF the
tariff" That. he says, would halt
production, consumption and commerce
for at least twelve months" and the
result would probably not be an I'm
provement on existing law" For the
general interest OF the whole country,
he thinks, the revision toward which
the common mind" In its desire for
change is driving the Republican party
should be postponed AS long as pos
sible."
This disagreement Of the uncommon
mind Of Speaker Cannon with that or
the common people is nothing new with
| Republican politicians. Their atnlla-
| ton with the corporations, trusts and
combines obliterates any sympathy for
| the plundered people, but tarln revision
/ and other reforms will come. not
| through the aid of the unwilling Re
publican speaker OF the house Of rep
: .resapla1iXes.. OF his party associates,
| but through the ardent reform efforts
I of a new congress born OF the desires
Of the Democracy and aided by indie
]
Of the plundering by the trusts and the
corruption and grating OF the Repub-
/ llcan party.
The attitude Of the Republican poll
/ tician toward the protective tariff Is
/ like the heather before his idol-it Is
/ fetch TO worship and too sacred to be
touched. But when the time Of stress
l.. MI %
/ tariff idol has shown Itself TO be but
| brazen image and Its high priests have
. exalted II TO plumber the people. then
the voters will have none OF II and Will
cast IL down and break IL.
The Republican contention that TO re-
wise the tariff by reducing the rates on
hides or coal would destroy domestic
industry IL too absurd for argument
Would II ruin the crops or cause the
. rain TO cease or the sun TO be darken-
ed? The beef trust would lose trifie
Of its enormous profits but no one be
lleves the farmer or cattle grower
would lose a cent. Even the abnormal
" high price for hides now being paid
has not Increased the price OF cattle.
lot thIllt are DON NtlliS
for many years before. though the
tariff protected beef trust Is getting a
high price for beef.
I Tnke the iron and steel schedules and
abolish the tariff rates on the products
OF the steel trust and that giant cor
poration would still control the market
for Its products. for the cost OF trans
portatlon over 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 suffering people
does not require revision. The Repub.
leans refuse to NEEDLE with II, so this
duty must he intrustcd TO the Demo
Gratis. who are pledged TO n reasonable
reform that will prevent the trusts sell
Ing cheaper abroad than here, and while
producing enough revenue TO run the
government will reduce the cost OF llv-
ing TO something more In reason than
now