The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-04-25
SAME OLD PLATFORM PROMISES.
Stand of Illinois Republicans on Tariff
Rtvision.

IlIlOIS I.cpuDllCdH CONVENTION,
under the guiding hand of that sly
old standpatter, Speaker Cannon,
adopted a tariff plank in their plat
form beginning with a stump speech
that culOgizes the present high tariff
as the cause of prosperity. 1t does
not explain, however, why this tariff
did not continue its beneficent work
so as to prevent the panic or the pres
emit business depression. The tarlf
plank bears the earmarks of the stand
patters of the Protective Tariff League,
tempered by the fear of Payne In
Dalzell that tariff revision is coming
and the only hope for continued pro-
lection to the trusts is to try to so
moderate the demands hat the voters
can again be fooled into support OF
the Republican s~tandpatters and their
allies, the tariff protected trusts.
1t is very interesting to see the
standpatters now SO anxiOuS-On pa
per-for tariff revision. Uncle Joe's
platform tells us the secret that: THE
benefits conferred by the present tar
III We plOuuNtu dn llluotll oltta'
ton that suggests the possibility OF
securing by the revision of the tariff
additional benefits for the people OF
the United States through a wise con
tinuance of the policy of protection"
Of course, there is a possibility" that
a Republican revision of the tariff
might inure to the benefit Of the peo-
pie, but it is very improbable. But
this Republican platform admits that
the tariff has not given the people a
square deal for 'it is now apparent
that in order to maintain the scien-
tific accuracy of the tariff, remove in
equalities and prevent injustice, some
new schedules must be added to the
law, some of the present rates must
be lowered and some must be repealed
altogether"
Whether the people of the protected
interests would benefit by such a re-
vision will perhaps " be known,
for it would be evident folly for the
people to intrust tariff reform to the
Republican party which has notorious.
ly protected the trusts at the expense
Of the people. 1t is evident that the
Republicans Of Illinois so love prOtec-
ton and the campaign contributions
from the trusts that they have no in
tention Of discarding the policy OF
protection. for the platform further
says: We believe that the people Of
the United States will profit by a new
tariff, but it must be a Republican
tariff, a protective tariff" That shows
how hard it is for standpatters to sur
render to the inevitable and how I'M
possible it will be for Republicans,
such as Speaker Cannon and the other
leaders who now control congress, to
give relief from trust p%lundering I'M
der any revision of the tariff they
would vote for.
That can be readily seen by any.
one who wi. take the trouble to read
this Illinois Republican platform,
which has evidently been carefully
prepared by the standpat faction of
the Republican party as a more e
plicit pattern for the national convex
ton to OllOw than the Roosevelt.
Taft platform adopted by the late
Ohio convention. Both platforms de-
clare for revision after election" but
neither declares for tariff reduction.
In fact, the Illinois convention de.
clares for minimum and maximum
rateS-the minimum rates giving full
protection" which must mean that the
minimum rates of the proposed new
tariff law will not be any less than
the present law provides and on top
Of that much higher maximum rates to
be charged on imports from those for
eign countries that exact high rates
or American products.
That can only mean revising the
tariff higher. Democrats are all
agreed that the tariff must BE- re,
duced, so that the tariff will rot pro.
tect the trusts that sell cheaper to
foreigners than to u own people. 1t
is hardly possible that those Repub.
lican voters who believe in a reduction
Of the high rates of the present tariff
and who have waited so patiently for
their party to undertake it, will
longer be fooled by such speciOus
promises that on their face are in
tended to deceive.