The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-04-24
SAME oLo PLATFORM PROMISES.
stand OF Illinois Republicans on Tariff
Revision.


The Illinois Republican convention,
under the guiding hand of that sly
old standpatter Speaker Cannon,
adopted a tariff plank In their plat
form beginning with a stump speech
that eulogizes the present high tariff
as the cause Of prosperity. 1t does
not explain, however. why this tariff
did not continue its benehcent work
so as TO prevent the panic or the pres
ent business depression. The tariff
plank bears the earmarks Of the stand
patters OF the Protective Tariff League,
tempered by the fear of Payne and
Dalzell that tariff revision Is coming
and the only hope for continued pro-
lection TO the trusts is 10 try TO so
moderate the demands that the voters
can again be fooled into support OF
the Republican standpatters and their
allies. the tariff protected trusts.
II is very interesting to see the
standpatters now so anxious-on pa
per-for tariff revision. Uncle Joe's
platform tells us the secret that: The
benefits conferred by the present tar
IN have produced an industrial situa-
ton that suggests the possibility of
securing by the revision of the tariff
additional benefits for the people OF
the United States through a wise con-
tinuance OF the policy of protection"
or course there is possibility that
i Republican revision of the tariff
might inure to the benefit Of the peo-
pie. but it is very improbable. But
this Republican platform admits that
the tariff has not given the people
square deal for 1T is now apparent
that in order to maintain the scien-
tifc accuracy of the tariff. remove in
equalities and prevent injustice, some
new schedules must be added to the
law some of the present rates must
be lowered and some must be repealed
altogether"
Whether the people Of the protected
interests would benefit by such a re-
vision will perhaps never be known.
for il would be evident folly for the
people TO intrust tariff reform TO the
Republican party which has notorious
ly protected the trusts at the expense
OF the people. II is evident that the
Republicans of Illinois so love protec-
ton and the campaign contributions
from the trusts that they have no in
tention of discardlng the policy of
protection. for the platform further
says: I'VE believe that the people OF
the United States will profit by new
tariff, but il must be a Republican
tariff. protective tariff" That shows
how hard IL is for standpatters to sur
render TO the inevitable and how i'm
possible II will be for Republicans.
such as Speaker Can on and the other
leaders who now control congress, 20
give relief from trust plundering I'M
der any revision of the tariff they
would vote for
That can be readily seen by any.
one who will take the trouble TO read
this Illinois Republican platform
which has evidently been carefully
prepared by the standpat faction OF
the Republican party as a more ex.
plicit pattern for the national conven-
ton to follow than the Roosevelt
Taft platform adopted by the la:e
Ohio convention. Both platforms dc.
clare for revision after election" but
neither declares for tariff reduction
In fact, the Illinois convention de
clares for minimum and maximum
rates-the minimum rates giving full
| protection" which must mean that the
minimum rates of the proposed new
tariff law will not be any less than
the present law provides and on tor
OF that much higher maximum rates tc
be charged on imports from those for
eign countries that exact high rates
on American products.
That can only mean revising the
tariff higher Democrats are a..
agreed that the tariff must be re
duced. so that the tariff will not pro
tect the trusts that sell cheaper tc
foreigners than TO our own people. II
Is hardly possible that those Reruh
lican voters who believe in a reduction
of the high rates of the present tarif
and who have waited so patiently fol-
their own party to undertake II. will
longer be fooled by such specious
promises that on their face are in
tended to deceive.