Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-08-18
REVISION UPWARD.

in is not sufficiently high to give the
measure OF protection which they
should receive upon Republican pr'n
cipies"
This g sufficient TO prove that
revision OF the tariff as under
stood by the Republican leaders does
not mean revision i'm the inter SITS
of the people, but does mean that
the protected interests WI receive
first consideration. II also demon
strates that the indianapolis News
a Republican newspaper. knew what
IT was talking about when, in its s.
sue OF July =. II said
"All that was needed to prove
that the Republican tarin plank IL
a deluslon aud a snare as far as the
tarn reforrers are concerned. was
the commcndation OF the American
Economist. the high tariff organ
This it now has The Economist
is fairy jubilant over the victory
won in behalf OF extreme protec-
ton. The Republican party" it
says, IN national convention assem-
blcd. has declared anew for tho poll
10y Of protection protection that
shall be adcquatc-and has rejected
The demands of the tariff agitators
for a revision of the tariff down
wards Which, OF course. means
that the party has declared. either
N favor OF leaving the tariff as 1t is,
or OF revising it upward We quote
from the Economist. which. be it re-
membered Is the uncompromising
champion of D.ngleyism:
The free traders and advocates
of tariff revision downward will not
find word or syllable in this tariff
plank that tends to furnish them the
slightest crumb OF comfort There
Is no promise in the platform Of tar
im revision downward. After
full consideration of the whole sub
iect. the Republican party IN con.
vcntion assembled did not declare
for revision of the tariff downward.
nor did it give the slightest intima-
ton that the belief is entertained by
the great body Of Republicans
throughout the land that the tariff
rates of the D'ngley law are too
high.
Even the maximum and mini
mum tariff plan which is advocat
ed contemplates. according to the
Economist. making the present rates
or other adequately protective
rates the minimum and the lmpo-
stion of still h.gher rates to force
air treatment from other nations.
We do not often find ourselves in
agreement with the Economist. But
it seems to us that what it says
about the amazing plank adopted at
Chicago is true. Every one knows
that there are hundreds of thous-
ands of Republicans all over the
country demanding tariff revision IN
the direction of lower rates. Manu-
facturers who are held up by the
trusts feel very deeply on this sub
iect When the convention met it
knew just what this demand was,
Just what it meant. IL knew that it
could not be silent on the tariff ques-
ton, knew that it could not refuse
TO pretend to promise real revis-
ion.
"A nd yet this convention put its
self on record as favOring sufficient
protection to puc our manufacturers
absolutely on a level with those of
cthsr lands, and then to give them
a reasonable profit besides This
can mean nothing else than what the
Economist says IL means. It is ms
promise Of revision downward The
proposition is not to equalize condi-
IONS here anu abroad. not TO make
mp TO our manufacturers the excess
in wages they are supposed to
them out inthe matter Of raw mate
rial. but after having done all these
things, after having removed every
obstacle and taken on every han1i-
cap. we are TO tax ourselves to give
the manufacturers. such as the steel
trust. a reasonable profit. so it is a
great victor- for the standpatters
The Economist is quite right For
once il IS absolutely right Tho par
~ has thrown Itself into the arms OF
the standpattcrs Taking this plank
in connection with the refusal of the
convention to demand publicity for
campaign contributions. and also in
connection with the gr at activity of
the agents of the steel trust at Chi
cago. IL is hard 10 see how any torin
rcformer can get much hope from
the tariff plank OF the Republican
platform There is less comfort than
ever to- bc got from 81 now that this
american Economist. "a bcsottcd high
'arin organ, has commended it with
such touching eufhus asm
.frFg .v. -t....