Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-08
TARIFF REFORM

EFO 6hlCANS are COitrdulCtAle
X, each other and themselves and
AO their platform In their discussion
of tariff reform (Which mentioned ir
connection with the Republican party
suggests his Satanic majesty in @ white
"choker" on an evangelistic tour.
Republican harmony on the subject OF
the tariff was not to be expected. The
party was caught at complete disad-
vantage. All It's oft aired theories had
been demolished by experience. Talk
of high tariff as the originator of the
full dinner pail provoked smiles and
laughter, and the unhappy Mr.. Taft, at
the very outset of the campaign, found
himself engaged in wild attempt to
straddle.
1t was necessary he should reconcile
t.-e overwhelmingly popular idea
| that trusts, combinations Of capital in
restraint of trade, were under any pre-
text unlawful, predatory and indefen-
sible, with the effort of the Republican
platform to compromise the matter and
placate the irate people without Offend
ing mortally the campaign-fund-pro-
ducing trusts.
One of the most extraordinary and
bewildering of the many differences be-
tween Republican doctrine, as it is
stated in the platform of the party,
and as 1t is preached by the candidate
of the party, Is with regard to the
tariff. The Democratic platform says:
I'VE wecome the belated promise OF
tariff reform now offered by the Repub-
lican party in tardy recognition Of the
righteousness of the Democratic posi-
ton on this question, but the people
cannot safely entrust the execution of
is so deeply obligated to the highly pro-
tected trusts as is the Republican
party.
1--WE call attention to the significant
fact that the promised relief was post
poned until after the coming election
an election to succeed in which the Re-
publican party must have the same sup
port from the beneficiaries Of the high
protective tariff as it has always here
tofore received from them; and to the
further fact that during years of
uninterrupted power no action what
ever has been taken by the Republican
congr, to correct the admittedly ex-
isting tariff inequalities"
The debated promise of reform" re-
ferred to is contained In the following
passage of the Republican platform:
1.-The Republican party declares un-
equivocally for a revision of the tariff
by a special session of congress imme-
diately following the election 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 investigat-
ing the operation and effect OF existing
schedules"
Any mere mortal man, any human
being of average intelligence, but not
endowed with second sight, would
gather from this that the Republican
party WAS promising to yield to the
popular demand for revision of the sys-
tenn which has enriched the interests
which have so often been called pred
atory" that they have almost adopted
the adjective in their business. At any
rate, it does not cause them any in
convenience or uneasiness or annoy
ance. In popular parlance, "they ac-
knowledge the corn"
But in his blunt, outspoken, joyously
frank manner, what says the undiplo-
matte Mr.. Taft on the subject thus
cunningly and adroitly dealt with by
e1yf 60
critical In warp and deceitful in woof,
the Republican platform?
"A system of protection thus adopted
and put into force" says Mr.. Taft, has
led to the establishment of q rate of
wages here that has greatly enhanced
the standard of living Of the laboring
man. 1t is the Republican party's in
tention PERMANENTLY TO CON-
TINUE that standard of living. In
1897 the Dingley tariff bill was passed,
under which we have had a period of
enormous prosperity.
ION the other hand there are other
schedules in which the tariff is NOT
SUFFICIENTLY HIGH to give the
measure of protection which they
should receive upon Republican prin-
ciples, and those TARIFFS SHOULD
BE INCREASED"
This then is what the Republicans
mean by their glib talk about tariff re-
vision! The laboring man has had his
standard of living so greatly "en-
HANGED" that the poor fellows dinner
pail has been emptied. and his children
have been taken from school and sent
to supply the Republican protected in
dustries' demand for CHEAP LABOR.
It is not at all likely the wage earners