The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-10-20

western neigh,ors
Opening Wedge For Tariff Reform.
Some weeks ago | commented upon
the action of the american Newspaper
Publishers association in demanding
the immediate repeal of the duty upon
paper. wood pulp or any of the mate
rails entering into the manufacture of
paper. Since then | have learned from
correspondence that there will be much
rivalry among both Democratic and
Republican congressman at the next
session OF congress to see which one
Will he able to- first present Il bill Civ
ing effect 70 the desires Of the news ,
paper community. Furthermore. have
found that Republican neWSpa pprs III
their editorial columns are pleading
guilty 10 the apparent Inconsistency
Of demanding free trade Immediately
in substances needed for their own
business while accepting the proposi-
ton that as Il whole the tariff should
not be touched until after the next
presidential election. note that 4
Republican, newspaper III Ohio ha% this
to say:
we confess thai Mr. Abbot has the Re-
publican newspaper men who voted for
that resolution in Nv EoIl an The hip.
1t was left TO "a Canadian news
paper publisher to CAL attention 20 the
fact that paper was as high in Canada
under purely revenue tariff in the
United States under high protective
tariff and that the Canadian paper max
ers, if there is conspiracy. are in the
conspiracy with the American paper max
erS.
1t is probable that the international
conspiracy is a fact. But, mark, If the
Canadian paper makers are kept out
of the United States by tariff, how
easy it is for them to say to the Amer
lean paper makers: You keep out o.
our territory aud We will make oc"
rates equal to yours. If ynn inyaGc
our territory and we must cut rate.
the object lesson to your people VII:
make trouble for you when the matter
of tariff comes to he discussed" This
is obviously the policy which would be
adopted in the present methods of
business combination. But. more than
that, if paper and pulp in Canada and
the provinces are as dear as in the
United States why is all the influence
and power Of the paper trust beng en-
ployed to prevent the reduction of the
tariff?
| am inclined to believe that within
one week after congress assemblies the
paper trust will be put on the de
fenSive. aud the first stroke will be
dealt at the tariff as it is now CON
stituted. Either the Republican press
will have to be satisfied with the
statement that to touch one part of
the tariff means to destroy it all or
else it will have to meet the argu-
ment that if free pulp from Canada is
good for newspapers free lumber from
Canada might be good for the farmer
who wants to increase the size of his
home or build another barn.
Rivers as Highways.
How much President Roosevelts trip
down the Mississippi and his enthusi-
astic speech on the subject of the i'm
provement of our waterways may at
feet congress in the next two or three
sessions is yet to be determined. Ger
tainly, however, it is Il good thing for
the country that the chief magistrate
should even thus bcIatedly discover
that the rivers Of the west form great
natural highways which. if properly
! improved and conserved, might 40
more to correct railroad discrimiaa-
lions and cxtortions than any legisla-
ton carried through with the aid of a
| big stick 1t is curious to one who re
members political history to recall that
back in 1892 when Mr. Bryan was 4
member of congress. he WAS regular
! attendant at the meetings of the In
land Waterways aSsociat ton and that
very much of his strength i'll the md
| die west came from his warm advo-
cacy of the views which the president
is at this late date expressing. That.
| however, is merely matter of an
Gent history Al Of the country. even
remotely tributary to the Mississippi
! and the navigable streams which flow.
into it, is glad today that the presi-
| dent has found occasion to look for
himself into the problems Of waterway
transportation and has declared that
the rivers deserve the same attention
from congress that the railroads now
have. 1t is believed in Washington
| that he will make Il strong recon-
incubation for larger appropriations for
the Mississippi.
And as to the Navy.
And. as to naval appropriations, look
ont for surprises i'll the presidents
| message and in the report of the secre.
| tary of the navy. Some timorous PEG
| ple. mollyceddles perhaps or milksops.
expressed lear that when the Attain
tic fleet was ordered to the Pacific
| ocean there would instantly arise a
cry for the building of another fleet
equally strong to guard the Atlantic.
| This was strenuously denied at the
time by the spokesman of the admin
| istration Bat the demand has already
| been voiced. Admiral Evans, the pet
! Of the navy department. printed with