Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-22
CONTINUED from Page one.)

can leaders are no longer arrogant and |
insolent; they cannot longer defy tar
if reform. Their plan now is to seem
TO yield without really yielding.
/ submit that the democratic plat
form accurately described the republi
can position when it refers to ''the be-
lated promise" made by the republican
leaders as "a tardy recognition of the
righteousness of the democratic posi-
ton on this question" The democratic
party, in its platforms and through its
representatives in congress, has for
years pointed out that the tariff SEIZED
ules are excessively high and ought to
be reduced, but the republicans have,
until recently, refused to admit that
there was any necessity for reduction.
They now confess, through their plat
form and through their presidential
candidate, that the need for revision is
so great as TO Justify the party in de-
claring 'unequivOcally 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 immedi-
, ately following the inauguration es the
next president" The use of the word
"unequivocally" indicates that those
who wrote the platform recognize that
they are under suspicion. They want
to distinguish this promise from the un-
kept promises of the past by adding
as emphatic an adjective as could be
found in the dictionary If former re-
no ion,
tiously fulfilled, it might not have been
necessary to thus strengthen the prom
Use made this year. The use of the
words Immediately after the inaugur-
alton is evidence that the republican
leaders are conscious that the patience
of the public has been strained to the
point of breaking, and it 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 10
years.
Party Too Deeply Obligated.
Are we not justified in saying tnat
the people cannot safely entrust the
execution of this important work 10
party which is so deeply obligated
TO the highly protected interests as is
the republican party?" The fat fry
ing" process has become familiar to
the American people. Pressure has
been brought to bear upon the pro-
tected interests every four years-and
to less extent in the congressional
campaigns between presidential cleo
campaign fund in return for former
favors and in anticipation of favors
yet to come. 1t is difficult TO over
estimate the corrupting influences in
troduced into the political life of the
nation by this partnership between
the government and the favored in
dustries. The literature circulated in
support of protective tariff has stu
diously cultivated the idea that suf-
frage 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 pro-
tected industry has been approached
with the proposition that it is dollars
lin his pocket to maintain the system
while those who could not possibly
trace any tangible benefits to them
selves have been beguiled with the
assurance that it was all a matter OF
public spirit and that they ought tC
support the system out of patriotic
love of country. If attention was
called to the fact that the farmer wa;
taxed for the benefit of the manufac
turer. the triple answer was that i
would come back to him indirectly
that it did not amount TO much fol
each farmer anyhow; and that a mar
was small minded who would be
srudge so insignificant a contribution
to the nations prosperity. The plan
has been to keep the taxpayers quie
by keeping them in the dark as to the
operation of the law, and then to con
centrate the votes and Influence of thu
taxeaters in favor of continuation
of high tariff legislation. If tariff
of so per cent was imposed upon
given article of merchandise. it wa!
assumed that those engaged in thu
production of the article would con
tribute literally to keep up the tariff
1t was also assumed that the EN-
ployes would vote with their employ
ers to keep from having their wage:
reduced, and it was expected that the
business men of the town would also
vote for the tariff because of the bust
ness brought to the community by The
protected industry. Those who arc
acquainted with the tariff fight know
to what an extent the pecuniary argu
ment has been used. The recent re
publican platform is a bugle call tc
every beneficiary of special privilege
to enlist again under the republican
banner, and when the election is over
and the republican committee pub
fishes the list of contributors-too late
TO make the information valuable-it
will be found that the republican party
has again so obligated itself to the
protected interests as TO be unable tc
make revision in the interests of the
consumers
Party Stood In the Way.