Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-05-10
AN ABSURD CONTENTION.
Republicans Present Weak Excuse Ton
Not Taking Up Tariff
Revision.

Speaker Cannon has been smoked
out of his tariff hole and forced to give
a reason why the tariff should not be
revised. He declared in a private let
ter to a trust pottery manufacturer.
protected from competition by the tar
iff, that "the desire for a change which
exists in the common mind will drive
the Republican party, if continued in
power, to a tariff revision" He said
he did not want it, but it would have
to come in the not distant future"
This letter having been published COM
PEELED Mr.. Cannon to make a further
statement of his position. He starts
off by saying that the amendment of a
single schedule, or a few schedules, is
entirely impractlcable." In his judy
ment nothing can be done except by
a complete revision of the tariff"
That, he says, would halt production,
consumption and commerce for at least
IL MONTHS" and the result would
probably not be an improvement on
existing law" For the general inter-
est of the whole country" he thinks
the revision toward which the com-
mon mind" in its desire for change is
driving the Republican party Should
be postponed as long as possible"
This disagreement of the uncommon
mind of Speaker Cannon with that OF
the common people is nothing new
with Republican politicians. Their af-
filiations with the corporations, trusts
and combines obliterates any sym.
pathy for the plundered people. But
tariff revision and other reforms will
come, not through the aid OF the IN
willing Republican speaker of the
house Of representatives, or his party
associates, but through the ardent re-
form efforts of a new congress born OF
the desires of the Democracy and aided
by independent voters who are sick
and tired of the p%lundering of the
trusts and the corruption and grating
of the Republican party.
The attitude of the Republican pol
iticians towards the protective tariff
Is like the heather before his idol,
it is a fetish to worship and 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 a brazen image and its high priests
have exalted il to plumber the peo-
pie, then the voters will have none OF
1t and will cast it down and break it.
The Republican contention that to
revise the tariff, by reducing the rates
on hides, or coal, would destroy do
nestle industry is too absurd for ar.
gument. Would 1t ruin the crops or
cause the rain to cease OF the sun to
be darkened? The beef trust would
lose a trifle of its enormous profits, but
no one believes the farmer or cattle
grower would lose a cent. Even the
abnormally high price for hides, now
being paid, has not increased the price
of cattle, for cattle are now selling
cheaper than for many years before.
though the tariff protected beef trust
is getting a high price for beef.
IahO lllO 1ioh u1d olOCi oShSuuiCs
and abolish the tariff rates on the
products of the steel trust and thai
giant corporation would still contro
the market for its products, for the
cost of transportation owe seas woult
be protection enough and only in
ordinate profits would be reduced
There is hardly a schedule of the tariff
that does not shelter some trust OF
combine, that in all fairness to a
long-suffering people does not require
revision. The Republicans refuse tc
NEEDLE with it, so this duty must be
intrusted to the Democrats, who are
pledged to a reasonable reform thai
will prevent the trusts selling cheaper
abroad than here, and while produc'
ing enough revenue to run the govern
Elent will reduce the cost Of living t.
something more in reason than now