The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-02-28
OPPOSED TO REFORM
aEiI URGING TARIFF COMMISSION
SHOW THEIR HANDS.
National Grange Evidently Is Being
Msrepresented IN the Matter
Standpatters at Work TO
Block Any Changes.

llOndl hlNllEt anu hUillNlbus bAH'l
tional and local associations called on
President Roosevelt a few days ago
to urge him to recommend the passage
of the Bcveridge bill to create tariff
commission. President Van Cleave of
the Manufacturers association de.
clarcd: we are urging the appoint
mcnt of tariff commission, not as re-
visiunists. but as stanch protcctlonists.
1t Is my own belief and that Of the
National Association Of Manufacturers
and the large number of organizations
which indorse the immediate appoint.
ment OF commission that such com
mission is absolutely necessary In
order TO protect the business interests
Of the country from the harmful ef.
feCts OF a continued partisan agitation
for tariff revision during the cam.
paign."
II such Is the purpose Of these as
suciations, II would seem they are OPP
posed to real tariff revision and are
pushing the commission plan on pur.
pose to prevent tariff reform, or at all
events to postpone H. The National
Grange, which at It's last annual meet.
ing declared in favor Of tariff reform,
Is evidently being misreprcsented by
its officials when they join in this at.
tempt to postpone reform, and the
great majority Of the members OF the
subordinate oranges throughout the
country should call them to account
and insist on the tariff reform program
adopted at the last meeting OF the
National Grange: That we believe
that the general welfare Of the country
demands an exhaustive and thorough
tariff revision. and that the tariff pc
removed from every article that Is
continuously being sold in foreign
markets cheaper than at home.
Resolved That We urg" upon the
members Of the oranges throughout
the United States to take speedy ac.
ton and use every influence at their
command to secure the carrying out
Of the sentiments OF these resOlu.
tons"
There wac no mention there Of a
procra5tinatinC commission, hut rather
for an immediate exhaustive and
thorough tariif revision
The National Boot and Shoe Manu-.
facturprs association was also repre-.
scntcl AMONGST those who called upon
the president. and that they did not
represent the largest manufacturer
Of boots and shoes in the United
States any more than the grange Of
ncials represented the demands Of the
members Of the National Grange is
equally apparent. For in letter from
Mr. II. +. Miles. one OF the board Of
directors Of the National Association
of Manufacturers. to Gov W. l..
Douglas of BroCkton Mass, he said:
Il write to ask that there be present
a representative OF the shoe interest,
and as a matter of politics, | suggest
that he be not known particularly as a
| Democrat Il Is business PROPOSE.
| ton and no room for party cOnsidera
ton of any kind. At the same time
| you know how some smart politician
might play upon the fact II there were
| Democratic leaders among MS.
hut Gov Douglas, although the
products Of his factories are protected
by the tariff, Is an arCont tariff re-
| former, and he replied through his
| secretary that Il am quite sure the
| governor Is not in favor OF the ap.
| polntment Of tariff commission. He
very much prefers the immediate re-
vision Of the tariff and tine elimination
of AT least some Of the schedules that
are admittedly iarCical. | incloSe you
! the governors latest interview In
Ncw York World of the 10th instant.
which will thoroughly explain his po.
| s!tion in the matter, ana under aepa'
rate cover | mai! you a copy of his
addresses and call your special atten
| ton to his address to the president Al
! Washington while acting as chairman
Of the committee of the National As
ISOLATION of Boot and Shoe Manuiac
turers."
All this shows how the question Of a
tariff commission is being fostered by
the standpatters. with the evident in
tent of postponing tariff revision in
definitely. or, at least, to a more con
venient season.
From the experience OF what former
tariff commissions accomplished and
the years consumed in deliberations
another commission could and probably
would play into the hands of the stand
matters who now control congress.
Fighting "Honcst Graft"