The Washington herald., 1908-08-22


WhlcR- but for willfUI neglect. might
have been done at any time during the
last ten years
..Pst-fryinE" Process.
Are We not justified in saying that the
people cannot safely intrust the execution
Of this important work 10 a party which
IS so deeply obligated 10 the highly pro
tected interests as Is the Republican
party2'' The ''fat-frying" process has
become familiar TO the American people
Pressure has been brought to bear upon
the protected interests every four years
and 70 a less extent IN the Congressional
campaigns between Presidential elections
to compel contributions 10 the cam
paisn fund IN return for former favors
and in anticipation Of favors yet TO come I
I II is difficult 10 overestirnate the corrupt
ing Influences introduced into the politi-
cal life Of The nation by this partnership
between the government and the favored
industries
With a President who. toward the close
Of his term. admitted the necessity for
I ity IN the Senate and nearly sixty major
ity in the House. the Republican party
I has refused 70 permit any revision what
/ ever. lIr- Williams. the leader OF the
minority IN the House. introduced a bill
providing for q reduction OF the tariff 10
1a9 Der cent wherever IL Is now more than
{ 11p per cent II would look like the Re
/ publican party might have taken this
[ step toward tariff revision had il been
/ deeply in earnest. but no. the bin was
[ not even reported from the committee
I Whenever attention was called 70 an in
/ defensible schedule, the answer was that
I they could not afford TO open the subject
{ for debate just before a campaign; but
I there IS no force in this objection. be
.
I the ma ioriry can cut OF debate. prevent
I amendment, and silence opposition
4 The administration has claimed credit
Z for the fine against the Standard OIL
I Company il The case which was lately
J reversed. but 10 effort has been made to
Z relieve the people from the fine which IS
t imposed upon them every day By the
/ Standard OIL Company through the oper-
7 alton Of the tariff law which gives that
} company more than 100 per cent protec-
D ton against its chief rival Russia What
/ faith can a real tariff refCrmer, whether
{ he be q Republican or a Democrat re-
] pose in the Republican leaders. when
1 they deliberately put or all reduction
/ until after election. and then call for
/ contributions. with the understanding
that the public shall not know the names
/ Of the contributors until after the polls
( are closed2
Farmer and Worker.
/ The Republican platform says that the
tariff is intended for the American manu-
I facturers. farmers. and producers. and
/ especially for the wage eaners- Z the
farmer and the wage Garner are really
1 the chief bene6ciaries Of the protective
( system, VIII the Republican candidate
I explain why the farmer and the wage
I Garner have contributed SO little 70 the
{ Republican campaign fund.- Is he viii
ing 10 publish a list OF contributors on
the 18th day OF next October and allow
the relative advantage Of protection %
J the manufactures. the farmer. and the
/ wage Garner TO be measured by the con
I Irlbuti0us received from each clsssg Why
IS L that the manufacturers are expected
10 furnish SO large a proportion Of the
money 20 ruC the campaign f. as the Re
pUhl-cars claim. the farmers and the Ia
borsrs enjoy 50 large a proportion in the
benefits Of the sysIeu2 Is ir not sig
uifcaur fact that the farmers and wage
earners who are always put in the fore
ground when the blessings OF q high tar-
II are being enumerated are IN the back
ground when the collections are being
I nads2 Is II not significant that the
7 manufacturers. who furnish the funds
are so little advertised as beuefciariss2
. Is Il not significant also that the wage
J earuers. instead OF the manufacturers.
are always described as 'the most direct
/ i5e1e6rlaries Of the protective system
Z But let US suppose, for the sake OF argu-
Inent. that the Republican party sincerely
rspeuts Of IFS delay in beginning tariff
reform repudiares its obligations 10 the
! contributing manufacturers. and honestly
{ begins q revision" What rule IS 20 gov
ern the revision2 The Republican plat
form says
In all tariff legislation the true prfn-
|-=-. --E-
the imposition OF such duties ss Will
equal the difference between the cost Of
/ production AZ home and abroad, together
with a reasonable profit 70 American IN
dustries-"
4 Schemes Are Many.
The schemes resorted 10 by the men
who have grown rich by LAYING tariff
burdens upon the country are more nu-
merous than novel Tariff measures
which emJody the principles Of protection
are not drawn by legislators. although as
a matter Of courtesy they generally bear
the names Of legislators, they are really
drawn by the representatives Of the iute~-
ests which demand protection. These rep
ireSentatives claim 10 be the guardians Of
the laboring men. and Vet they carefully
avoid writing into the law anything that
viii require the guardians to execute the
/ have been so long deceived as 70 the OBJ
Ject and the operation OF the lcws which
are Ostelsibly designed for the protection
Of the wage earners- 1t can only be ac-
counted for on the theory that the voters
have not understood either the theory Of
protection or the facts that are relied
upon 20 support it
IN ordinary affairs there IS no difference
between a tariff refOrmer and a protec-
ZIONIST They meet together IN business,
in society IN the lOdgerOom, and in the
church In their daily life they apply tbe
same rules and are guided by the same
business rules This similarity rnanifests
itself all through life and Up to the very
hour Of death. L a prOtectiOnist makes
a will he makes it upon the same pan
that the tariff refOrmer follows. As death
approaches, he estimates the value OF his
property, leaves to his wife and children
what he wishes them 10 have. and then
makes such bequests as he likes TO public
institutions and TO those outside OF the
family; and such part as he leaves TO his
wife and children he carefully divides
among them. giving to each a definite
share He does not give all his properly
to one child and say that he trusts the
child 70 deal fairly with the rest Of the
family Why? Because he knows his
children and would not put q child in q
position where selfshness might lead nm
70 do injustice 10 other members OF the
family No: he would not trust his own
flesh and blood TO deal fairly with those
reared al the same ireside with him. and
he IS wise in not placing this temptation
before one OF his own family But when