The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-01

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Il i almost amusing TO read the
protests and rantlngs OF the man
James W. van Cleavs. than whom
there is no more dangerous citizen
within the confines OF the United
states OF America. Il will DC remem.
bered that during tae recent campaign
air. Van Clcavc. as president OF some
sort of a self-organizod and personally
owned association. was almost as vio-
lent and unfair toward the Democratic
presidential aspirans as was John X.
walsh, the Chicago financial bandit
noy under sentence to the peniten-
tiary. when that luxurious commercial
pirate was slugging truth and bemean-
ing Mr.. Bryan IN the long ago. Mr.
Van Cleave editet n weekly perlo1-
ical alleged to represent the manufac.
ttrers Of tnis country, and an organi-
zation OF which Mr. Van Cleave Is the
proprietor and president So far as
known no reputable person ever in
timated there was a scidtilla OF truth
In any statement OF the man Van
Cleave. but he was effective In being
able TO frighten large numbers OF mer-
chants and bankers into the Taft col.
umn. a location never taken with
pride and always with a certain
amount of misgiving.
W0en the committee to take up the
revision of the tayif met. Mr.. Van
Cleave. being one on the inside Of the
favoriie plunFerbund, became angry
when there was even slight intlma
ton the tariff IN some places might be
scalpel In downward course, and be
came almost as abusive in speaking OF
Congressman Serene Payne as when
he was lying about Mr.. Bryan. Quite
naturally Mr.. Payne refused to b.
courteous In retort. and what he said
OF Mr.. Van Cleave, while breezy and
calculated to become OF more than or
dinary news value, was far from sooth
Ing.
Whereupon Mr.. Van Cieave let the
cat out OF the bag by declaring the
pledge to IN dsae with the tarin wa;
done only Ia save the probability Of
the work being done by the tarin-for
revenue crowd OF Democrats.
The vail of Mr.. Van Cleave conM b1
taken wits some satisfaction by those
'uho wish to see the tariff reduced
wers It not that William e. Curtis,
Record-Herald CRATER, writing from
New York. adds the startling informa
ton that New York retailers will b.
greatly surprised ana indignant T.
the tariff minimum Is made lower
than under the lDingley law, a maxi
mum above that. OF course. being ar
ranger by the committee"
For downright cusseiness and absc
lutte Indifference to the public demand
your special privilege beneficiary o.
the high tariff Is a prize winner. He
looks about him and sees the hosts
formed for re-adiustment of as ruin
aus a tariif schedule as possible, and
politely asks an increase.
dr. Van Cleave. as a Spokesman TO-
the crew. admits Il was a necessity
tor the Republican platform to pIadgc
the reformation OF the tariff akng ?
lower schedule. hut seems dumfounle
tnat any person OF enqnd iudgmen
should regard that as meaning NOR,
than securing the requisite number O
votes TO elect Mr. Taft, whose person
al opinions were never considered
neing more than secondary TO those OF
the man who by appointment and per
sonal effo7t brought about the Taf
uOminatiOn--also WAC made the Taft
election possible.
And this Is but a sample OF the
manner In which the dominant part,
has lealt with the people for man,
years. 4 has held uninterrupted
sway for decades. broken once or
twice by Democratic lower houses OF
congress, but has never yet offered a
legislative enactment tnat did not Of
fer TO some particular branch OF com
merce a monopoly and power to make
such prices as the sal monopoly saw
ht 70 impose upon the people OF this
country. Il piles high the tariff to pro.
tect the trusts. and then hoodwinks
the public by a pretended prosecution
ot corporate creatures Il can undo IN
tne twinking of an eye Like a rot
ten municipal government pretendin.
20 stamp out vice by iining the fallen
devotees to ihe avenue Of error and
immortality che Republican party pro
poses to stop trusts with court Rnea
an OF which can be earned thirty times
while one case drGgs us weary may
through the courts.
But the people must learn the ies
son, Each year they pay heav,
royalty 10 the saeciai privilege regime
but they still vote for the
crew. and until they change no more
can be expected