Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-06-11
LOSING confidence


| IN tHo way OF lower 0utifHI Ana aS
they consider these things, the pco-
pie come to the conclusion that the
republican leaders now In the saddle
are determined to fool the people
again MS to the whole matter of re-
vision. There will he Just enough of
promise of revision In the action of
congress and In the national plat
form to tide over the cxigencies of
the campaign. and after election
the promise, or postpone II again. If
the republicans are put back in pow
or I'm the lower branch Cannon will
be speaker There is no way of
stopping that. And with Cannon as
speaker the people are beginning to
fear tariff revision that means any
thing of actual reform will be i'm
possible.
'Thcrc may be possibly some at
tempt at revision just enough to
make u prctcnsc record and pre-
tense or redemption of the anti-clec-
tion Pledges. but It Is much more
likely to be II revision upward than n
revision downward --- higher tariff
duties Instead of lower. The truth
IN. the republican party. not the
masses of II but the men who are
sent there to act as It's leaders in
congress. have become bourbons on
the tariff question. They live In the
past age. They do not keep step
with the advance of public opinion.
They still think II their solemn and
sacred duty to keep alive that old CO
partnership between the republican
bosses and tho eastern manufacture
crs which has made every republican
tariff in the past The leaders of the
present believe in repeating the
practices OF the past. which was to
permit associations OF manufacturers
In the eastern part of the country to
write the tariff. And the manufac-
turers, accustomed to that sort of
thing and in the past paying smartly
In the way of campaign contributions
for tho privilege. have not neglected
their opportunities and would not
neglect them now Naturally they
write higher duties instead of lower.
The consumer is not taken into ac-
count. The demands of business to
have duties adjusted to world condi-
tions to tho end that the United
States may have a fair chance in the
race FOR foreign commerce are not
taken into account
Already the warming has been
sounded. and by no less parsonage
than Senator Aldrich. the high priest
OF taritftsm in the upper branch.
chairman of the finance committee
and hulwark between the interests
and any possible harm that may
come to them through tariff revision.
Mr. Aldrich. perceiving that revision
is a possibility the republicans
carry the election and after the cleo
ton may have to do a little some
thing toward making their work half
way g,Nd-has pointed ont that the
revenues are decreasing and the
appropriations increasing and If
this goes on much longer the
,,.> =.
Income by putting up the tariff on
imports. This is an old excuse. II
has been worked many times. And
evidently the leaders Of the party iii
power are making ready ~ work il
asain. Their attitude is like this:
None but stupid fools would demand
amy revision Of our sacred tariff, But
II there are i lot Of such fools and
II we must do something to appease
YOU, all right, We'll give You revision
upward. How will YOU like that
And perhaps after YOU have been
siven i dose of higher duties You
will learn 10 keep Ycur proper place
and let Us and the easter nmanutac-
turevs run the tariff to sui; our
selves.
This question Of tariff reform is
one Of the Two gvea; issues before the
American people upon which l>cesj-
dent Roosevelt has shown no capacity
or courage for leadership. The other
is financial reform. lie is in favor
81 both But he has never made
6sat for either, When he first ca0,e
into the White House one a. the first
plans he formed was 10 force reform
Of the tariff, bat aS soon IS Ne vaa
against the formidable eatvenlh-
mentS of The stand-pattorS he ahaa- +
5oned all serious efforts - Saoa-e
action and has never renewed them
He has been busy IN other directions
and i; is not probable the people WI,
Nlaule hiU for not making s feNt
which would involve him in sssoh SIT
ter warfare with .Ne con s--aSS5 NJ q Z