New-York tribune., 1908-03-27
SPE4KER CAaNON'S PLATFORM.

The platform adopted yesterday by the ILLINOIS
Republican State Convention is noteworthy as
showing the growth of Repubiican sentiment
in favor of n prompt and rational revision oi
the Dincley tariff. The convention put speaker
Cannon in nomination for the fres'aehc. anu
drew the platform on which ne Is 10 ASH 'iie
srIpport of delegates TO the Republican Natlonai
Convention from other states 1t must there-
fore he presumed TO express Mr.. Cannon 8 per
sonsl views The Speaker of the House mas
not bestated ia the past 10 declare hlmseI d
stand -I,atter'' on the tariff issue He mas heid
that the Dngley law fulfilled the purposes TOT
which ii was drawn 70 an exceptionaI degree
Under H. as statistical returns show. domesuc
industry has fourished never before and OUT
foreign trade has at the same time been eA-
handed at an unprecedented ratio. Both our
imports and exports have doubled IN the iaSs
decade. thus entirely confounding the prsoff
theorists who in 1897 denounced the Dingley
law as devised TO check imports and as Ger
tain consequently 10 shut the markets or the
world against our Own products. Mr.. cannon
has been disincned 10 disturb status quo
under which the nation has unoouptediE
grown stronger and richer, and he has always
deprecated what be considered premature re-
vision of the schedules. on the ground tnat IL
might disturb business and bring more LOSSES
than benefits.
the Dingley law. by reason OF its enormous
stimulus to domestic production and foreign
trade has created conditions in commerce
and industry. 1t has done its WORK ana has
outived its practical usefulness. FOR the idS'
two wears The Tribune has been advocating re-
vision as Il necessity of the near future. and
we are yratified to note that Republican senIi-
lnent is running strongly toward re-
casting of the schedules that they may
the marty have held back and pleaded that well
enough should be let alone. But that plea Is
no longer effective. and since the first year OF
y now Presidential term offers the best chance
for a revision free from partisan mahRuFfihs
and gross Misrepresentation for poiitcai eI-
feet the Republican leaders and voters are
now generally supporting the demand Tor the
passage of tariff law at speclai ses
sion of Congress to be called after March
4, 1909.
That is the programme favored bE the na-
tioral administration II vas the programme
announced in Secretary Taft's behalf in the
Ohio platform which is now embodied III
Sneaker cannons behalf in the Illinois pat
form. and is also contained. as expressing tne
views of Senator Aldrch. in the Rhode Isiand
platform. adopted yesterday There can De
no doubt. therefore. that the influences IN the
marty which have heretofore insisted most
are now prepared to help in replacing that oo-
solescent act with a more up-to-date statute
The Illinois resolutions say pertinently on this
point:
II is now apparent that in order to MAINTAIN
the scientific accuracy of the tariff remove IN
koualfties and prevent injustice, some new scheo-
uleS must be added 10 the law. some or the
present rates must be lowered, while some must
be repealed altogether The very success OF the
7,respnt tariff demonstrates the wisdom OF re-
-ising il to conform to the improved condltlons
which it has produced We believe thal tfle
people of the United States will profit by a ne"
tariff but IL must be a Republican tariff. pro
tectIve tariff tariff which recognizes In all It's
parts the difference between American ana Tor
eign wages the difference between the high scale
of living of American wage and the scale
of living imposed by insufficient wages upon for
eign workmen-
We are also glad TO observe that the ILL
nois Republicans favor q preliminary tar1n
inquiry 10 be conducted this year Under the
direction of the two houses of Congress. Such
q search for data now would certainly help the
next Congress TO act promptly and inteil-
gently and would give every interest affected
hv tariff changes a chance 10 be heard at
leisure What the country wants is a new
tariff which will be protective without encour-
aging monopoly and which will at the same
time give ample opportunity for extending our
foreign trade.