The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-02
LITTLEFIELD' VIEWS
ON NATIONAL ISSUES
CONGRESSMAN FROM MAINE
SAYS INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS
MAY EMBARRAss REPUBLICANS
PHILADELPHIA, Marc

PHILADELPHIA, March 10. -
Charles L. Littlefeld Representa-
tive in Congress from Maine, who was
the guest of the Metal Manufacturers
Association last night, arrived in this
city from Washington about o'clock
yesterday afternoon.
my judgment is he said to
Public Ledger, reporter, that unless
industrial conditions improve soon
they are going to embarrass the Re
publicans great deal in the coming
national campaign. There is always
such embarrassment when there Is
any considerable number of laboring
men in the country unemployed. The
fact does not necessarily affect the
question of responsibility for the ex-
listing situation. 1t is simply human
nature to blame those in power for
nearly everything that is not pleasing
to persons who are critically dispos-
ed.
"The situation is unfortunate. But
do not really know whether there
are so many men unemployed in the
country as has been stated. have
not been able to obtain comprehen-
sive information on this subjevt from
any authoritative source. We had
Gompers before a committee down at
Washington a while ago, and even he
had not gotten together data which
enabled him to present to us the sit
uation in any concrete form"
Mr.. Littlefield was asked for his
opinion of the Importance of the pro-
hibition movement relative to the pre-
sidential contest. He replied that it
was a question that was pretty diff
cult to solve in advance, and declin-
ed to give any estimate of the per-
centage of Republican votes which a
Prohibition candidate in the next cleo
ton might draw from the regular Re
publican nominee.
1T is extremely uncertain SAID
Mr.. Littlefeld, "as to who will get the
Republican nomination for President.
OF Course, Taft has the largest indivi-
dual following, but l do not think that
he has the nomination by any means.
Knox is a candidate of great ability
and of very high venture. l do not
know that | could venture to say who
stands the best chance after Mr.. Taft.
On the currency and banking ques-
lions Mr.. Littlefield said that the Sen
ate and the House of Representatives
seemed to be in a condition of great
disagreement. Il do not know" he
continued, whether anything practi
cal will come out of the present dis
cussion. The Senate favors chiefly
, the Aldrich bill, and the House the
Fowler bill, which are almost diane
trically opposed to each other in GER
tain respects. There are features Of
both which | should be inclined to
approve.
my own idea is that the only out.
come now practicable is the pas
sage of measure which will have a
tendency simply to relieve the cur
rency stringency We ought not al
, this time to undertake to reform the
whole currency system. l am not pre-
pared to give my unqualified support
to the asset currency plan. l think
a great deal of investigation is still
necessary before we go so far as that
do not look for any very pronounc
led action on the currency at this ses
sion. There will probably be two OF
three amendments to the currency
| laws, in the sense of giving some
} elasticity to the circulating medium.
Mr.. Littlefield said that he would
, be willing to vote for reduction Of
, customs rates wherever it could bt
, conclusively shown that they were ex
cessive, but he would make the tes
of this matter the question whether
with reduced duties the wage earn
ers would still receive as great re
lative compensation for their labor al
} they do now. If the present standard
} of wages could not be maintained
, under lower duties, he should vote
against revision.
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