The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-22

by a special session of congress i'm
mediately following the Inauguration
of the next president and commends
the steps already taken to this end in
the work assigned to the appropriate
committees of congress, which are now
investigating the operation and effect
of existing schedules. In all tariff leg
islation the true principle Of protec-
tion Ii best maintained by the imposi-
ton of such duties as will equal the
difference between the cost OF produc-
ton at home and abroad, together with
a reasonable profit to American indus
tries.
I'VE favor the establishment OF
maximum and minimum rates to be adj
ministered by the president under limi-
tations fixed in the law, the maximum
to be available to meet determinations
by foreign countries against American
goods entering their markets and the
minimum to represent the normal
measure of protection at home; the aim
and purpose of the Republican policy
being not only to preserve. without ex-
cessive duties. that security against
foreign competition to which American
manufacturers. farmers and producers
are entitled, but also to maintain the
high standard OF living OF the wage
earners of this country who are the
most direct benefciaries Of the pro-
tective system.
between the United States and the
philippines, we believe in a free inter-
change of products. with such imita.
lions as to sugar and tobacco as will
AFFORD adequate protection to domestic
Secretary Taft refers to this SUBJ
sect briefly in his notification speech
only briefly-but as I shall quote
Buch passages from his speech as are
pertinent to this discussion, 1t is not
necessary to read his remarks in full.
No More Infant Industries.
It will be noticed that the Republi-
can party has abandoned the earlier
arguments advanced IN support of a
high tariff. We hear no more of the
Infant Industries" that must be ten
Derry cared for until they can stand
upon their feet" there is no sugges-
Aion that the foreigner pay the tar
A." and nothing about the home
market" These catch phrases have
had their day-they are worn out and
cast aside. The Republican leaders
are no longer arrogant and insolent;
they cannot longer defy tariff reform.
Their plan now Is to seem to yield
without really yielding.
] submit that the Democratic plat
form accurately described the Repub-
1icen position when 1t refers to 1.-The
belated promise made by the Repub-
1ican leaders as ga tardy recognition
of the righteousness of the Democratic
position on this question" The Demo-
cratic party in its platforms and
ithrough its representatives IN congress
has for years pointed out that the
tariff schedules are excessively high
and ought to be reduced, but the Re-
publicans have. until recently, refused
to admit that there was any necessity
for reduction. They now confess.
through their platform and through
their presidential candidate, that the
need for revision is so great as to JUS
tify the party in declaring "unequivo-
cally for a revision of the tariff" and
the need Is so urgent that the work is
TO be undertaken at "a special session
of congress Immediately following the
inauguration of the next president"
The use of the word "unequivocally''
indicates that those who wrote the
platform recognize that they are >un-
der suspicion. They want to distin-
guish this promise from the unkept
promises OF the past by adding as en-
phatic an adjective as could be found
in the dictionary. If former Republi-
can promises had been conscientiously
fulfilled, it might not have been nee
essary to thus strengthen the promise
made this year. The use of the words
Immediately after the Inauguration"
Is evidence that the Republican lead
ers are conscious that the patience of
the public has been strained to the
point OF breaking. and 1t is almost pa
thetic to note the solicitude which
they now feel about doing a thing
which, but for wilful neglect, might
have been done at any time during
the last ten years.
Fat Frying.
Are we not justified in saying that
'''the people cannot safely entrust the
execution Of this important work to a
party which is so deeply obligated to
the highly protected interests as in
the Republican party?" The ''fat
frying process has become familiar
to the American people. Pressure
has been brought to bear upon the
protected interests every four years
and to a less extent in the congress
sional campaigns between presidential
elections-to compel contributions to
the campaign fund In return for for
mer favors and in anticipation of
favors yet to come. 1t is difficult to
overestimate the corrupting influences
introduced into the political life of the
nation by this partnership between
the government and the favored in
dustries. The literature circulated
IN support of a protective traiff has
studiously cultivated the idea that
suffrage should be employed to secure
pecuniary returns. and the appeal
made by the Republican leaders has
come to be more and more selfish
one. Every man engaged in a protect
ed industry has been approached with
the proposition that 1t is dollars In his
pocket to maintain the system, while
those who could not possibly trace any
tangible benefits to themselves have
been beguiled with the assurance that
It was all a matter of public spirit
and that they ought to support the
system out of patriotic love of coun-
try. II attention was called to the
fact that the farmer was taxed for the
benefit OF the manufacturer, the triple
answer was that 1t would come back
10 him indirectly; that 1t did not
amount to much for each farmer any
how; and that a man was small mind
ed who would begrudge so insignif1-
can't a contribution to the nations
prosperity. The plan has been to keep
the tax payers quiet by keeping them
in the dark as to the operation of the
law, and then to concentrate the votes
and influence of the tax eaters in ia