Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-27
7ngglery Of fbe
Tariff Question
To the Editor

To the Editor:-
Taft's speech accepting the nomi-
nation, has been fulsomely praised
for its frankness. 1t is true that
what he says of the tariff question is
about as frank as the declaration
any slave would make with the whip
OF his master threatening over him.
The republican platform declares for
tariff revision, whatever that may
mean. 1t may mean, revision up
or revision down" 1t has meant in
the sordid lexicon of the republican
party for forty years revision up"
The party has never yet touched the
tarh> except to raise schedules, and
after all these years of continuous adj
oltlon to the tariff and no subtrac-
uon, under the dictation of greedy in
IerestS, Taft says, as follows: The
democratic plan to remove tariff
dutles from all articles coming into
competition with those made by
trusts, and TO put them on the free
list, is bad, for. while it might stop
trust robbery it would destroy all its
smaller competitors"
Here is what Senator La Toilette
said an this subject in a speech in
the United States senate last Sune:
| "Outside of the United States Steel
company, there are but four com
panies today that could make any ap-
proach to competition with them
| (meaning the steel trust, and with
respect to these four companies the
competition is absolutely suppressed
by a gentleman's agreement. There
has not been in the last eight years a
variation of the price of steel among
any one of these companies. If today
the United States Steel company
makes a change in price, on merchant
! ale bar iron, for instance, each one
| of the other four companies quotes on
to the fraction of a cent"
! The difference between the parent
! bird in this nest of robbery is as the
difference between the parent cormor-
ant and its brood, or Captain Kidd and
! his crew or between the feudal barr
tout the collection of taxes. In
hierarchy of tariff greed the infer
get their share, and it is for them t
Mr.. Taft manifests his tender solici-
tude. He says in effect: Il am will
ing you should hit the profit of the
parent trust, but don't hit the profits
of the little trusts" that, according
to Senator La Toilette are in comb
nation with the big trusts to main
tain prices.
AS another sample of Juggling, Is
the statement either in the republican
platform or Mr. Taft's acce .,tance, |
have forgotten which, to the effect
that the protected industries should
be entitled to protection sufficient to
cover the difference between the cost
of production here and the cost Of
production abroad and a reasonable
profit" What does this mean? 1t
means to those who have read the
history of our tariff laws that wha. is
a reasonable profit" will be deter
mined by the protected interests.
The republican platform of 1904
Igingerly suggested the following, as
the policy Of the party on this ques
ton: The measure of protection
should always at least equal the differ
ence in the cost Of production at
/ home and abroad" Now, we have
the additional element of a reason
able profit" indicating very clearly
that the protected masters of the re
publican party intend to revise the
tariff up instead of down
Neal Brown.
| Wausau, Wis, Aug. 81