The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-08-22

tatlon TO ~cOnsol1date, and that having
been given the tariff on the theory
that it is needed, the manufacturer
naturally assume that it is intended
that they shall tax advantage of it,
even if they lave to combine to do so.
o will Mr.. Taft explain to the
average man the benefits of protec-
ton? He can easily convince a trust
that it profits by the tariff, but what
about the victim of the trust?
No Republican leader will now de-
ny that reductions ought to be made.
but who is to make the reductions?
The only answer given by the Re-
licans is that the tariff ought to- be
reformed by its friends; that is, that
those who made the last tariff law
should be entrusted with the making
of a new tariff law. But suppose the
people adopt the Republican idea and
entrust the making of the tariff law
to Republican congressman; what
will be the method of procedure? For
%tunately for the voter, Mr.. Miles ex-
plains this also. In the April, 1908,
number of American Industries, Mr..
Miles says: The people instruct and
trust Congress to grant just, equita-
BILE and ample protection"
Is not that just what the Republi-
can leaders claim to favor? They
want you to instruct Inc trust Con-
gress to grant just, equitable and am
pie protection" And what does that
mean? Mr.. Miles says that Congress
trusts the Ways and Means Com
mittee." And a Republican leader will
tell you that this is also proper Then
what? Mr.. Miles says that this COM
mittee trusts lei persons as Mr.. Dali
zell," and that ~"they-they trust the
trusts"
The method Of procedure is simple.
It is a case of confidence. The voters
have confidence in Republican lead
ers, the leaders have confidence in a
Republican Congress-; a Republican
Congress has confidence in the Ways
and Means Committee: the Ways and
Means Committee has confidence in
the men who represent the trusts,
and the trusts write the tariff law
and thus secure to themselves the
right to levy tribute upon the public.
So accustomed have Republican lead
ers become to allowing the protected
interests to write the tariff schedules
that so eminent and honorable a man
as Senator Hoar of Massachusetts
said, in discussing the Mckinley bill,
then before the Senate:-
INSTEAD of coming before your sub
committee for a formal hearing on
our Massachusetts industries, |
thought the best way was to careful
Iv Drepare a table of all the various
industries, perhaps some sixty or sew
enty in all, and ask Brother Aldrich
to go over them with me and ascer-
tain what the people wanted in each
case, and if there were any cases
where the committee had not alrea-
dy done exactly what the petitioners
desired or had not i~nf1eXibly passed
upon the question. l could have a
hearing before you, but / find in ev-
cry instance the action of the Com
mittee, as Mr.. Aldrich thinks it likely
to be, is entirely satisfactory to the
interests / represent, with the excep-
ton of one or two, n the papers in
regard to those cases / have handed
to Mr.. Aldrich."
Mr.. Miles, whom I have before quo
ted, says, in American Industries OF
April of this year.:
People asking a government for
relief on another schedule were by
that representative referred to a New
England manufacturer, the official a
greeting to act in accordance with
1.-THE protected manufacturers wishes.
Said the manufacturer II wrote that
schedule myself. 1 did not intend that
it should be interpreted as severely
as it has been, but having been so
interpreted, I will not consent to a
modification of it. And this mans
will remains the law"
We would not expect a jury to do
Justice to the defendant if 1t was com
posed entirely of the relatives of the
plaintiff; neither can we expect a con-
Qress to do justice to the masses II
it is composed of men who are in
sympathy with. and obligated to, the
corporations which have for a gener-
alton been enjoying special privileg-
es.
There is no prospect of relief from
a Republican President and Congress.
The Democratic party, if entrusted
with power, can and will reduce the
tariff.
The Democratic platform not only
demands a reduction of the tariff, but
it plainly outlines the course to be
pursued in securing the reductions.
1t begins by proposing that articles
which come into competition with ar
ticles controlled by a trust be placed
on the free list. What better place to
begin? Years ago Mr.. Havemeyer.
the head of the Sugar Trust said that
the tariff was the mother of trusts
and her children are many. Secretary
Taft, in his notification speech, says
that an excessive tariff serves no USE
full purpose but offers a temptation
to those who would monopolize the
production and the saIe or UGH arti-
cles in this country, to profit by the
excessive rate"
Now the manufacturers,
who have been favored by legislation
do conspire against the public and
enter into a monopoly. What penalty
do the Republicans suggest? None
whatever. These men are to be con-
suited about proposed changes, and
if the next Republican tariff is made
like former Republican tariffs, moth
ing will b. done without the mani
consent of the beneficiaries.