The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-06-07
FEW VOTES NEEDED.
To Jar the Fabric OF the Protected
Trusts and Monopolists.

Secretary Root. who Is undoubtedly
the ablest member OF President
Rooseyelt's cabinet. said in one OF his
speeches: When you step in 10
change custom you cannot change
II by peacemeal: you have 10 Jar
something" That fact is doubtless
the reason that the proposition OF Mr..
Root TO change our present tariff law
10 include maximum and minimum
rates OF duty has been received by
the standpatters with such omlnous
silence. Special interests that are
protected by the tariff want no change
and all the monopolists ask 10 rest
and peace. Even just talking OF
changing the tariff disturbs them. for
II IL extremely unpleasant 10 have the
light OF publicity turned upon their
transactions.
IL Secretary Root had proposed to
leave the present tariff duties as the
minimum tax and then add % per
cent 10 those duties as the maximum
tax. he would have found more favor
with the standpatters. But TO reduce
the present duties by 25 per cent as
the minimum tax jars upon the nerves
OF those who are protected by the
tariff. who can only view the matter
from their own selfish standpoint
But this very stubbornness OF the pro-
tected trusts and monopolists. not 20
accede to any change. will undoubted-
ly lead TO their downfall
The more obnoxious a law becomes.
the more radical the demand OF it's
opponents for changing IL. and a. the
present tariff protection 10 the trusts
becomes more and more apparent to
those who are daily plundered, the
sooner the whole protective system
will be abolished. You cannot change
1t by peacemeal and have the struc-
ture hang together. for even to re-
move one of the tariff schedules, such
as protects the steel trust would so
jar the whole fabric OF the protective
system as TO lead 10 its downfall
There are IS congressional dis
tricts where the Steel trust has the
balance CT power. there are IL more
where the coal trust controls. and
these aud the Standard Oil and other
trusts have enough influence to sway
more than half the Republican mem
bers OF both houses of congress.
These monopolists with their vast
ramihcatioDs and the power OF their
money are joined In the political
game with the Republican machine
and together manage to hold a major
ity of the voters This mountain OF
monopoly and money. and the scared
consciences of a percentage of the
voters, would seem hard to remove
from the path OF the Democratic tara
reformers. but faith in a rightecA
cause will remove mountains.
IL only required an average chang
OF three per cent of the voters in 2.
districts-three votes in 100-to have
given the Democrats the control OF
the house of representatives. How
many voters were kept in line for
the Republican ticket through the in
fuence Of the tariff protected trusts,
or through the controlling power OF
their money is predetermined but that
enough to change the result were
swayed by those mysterious agencies
is certain
Thus instead of having 10 change
the minds of a vast number OF voters
to jar the Republican protection
fabric. 1t will - seen that but a slight
shift is necessary TO overcome the
Republican machine and its trust
and monopolist allies.