The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-08-29
CANNOT [. !. BE { ENTRUSTED \ | / / . !.
!. WITH TARIFF REFORM
Republican Party too Deeply OBJ
: zigated TO- the Highly Pro,
-. 4, tected Interests. -
NEED OF REVISION HAS q,
BEEN KNOWN FOR YEARS
But the Republican Party. Has
Steadily Refused ! to Give +
' Any Relief. !.

Comparing the attitude Of the two
dominant parties on the tariff .ques7
tton, William j. Bryan, the Demo
cratic candidate for the presidency,
said when firing the first gun In tho
campaign that the Democratic party
was justified when it included in it's
platform the declaration that "the
people cannot safely entrust the exc
cution of this important work with a.
party which Is. SO deeply obligated to
the highly protected interests as the
Republican party" He said in> part
as follows: !;
Republican perelietion. ~. :
The Democratic party In it's plat
forms and through 1t Representatives
in congress has for years pointed out
that the tariff ougt to be reduced. but
the Republicans have until recently,
refused to admit that there was any
necessity for reduction. They now
confess, through their platform and
through their presidential candidate,
that the need for revision is so great
as to justify the party in declaring
"unequtvocally for revision Of the
tariff" and the need is SO urgent that
the work is to be undertaken at .spe-
cial session of congress Immediately
following the inauguration of the next
president. The use Of the word "un-
equivocally" indicates that those who
wrote the platform recognize that they
are under suspicion. They want to
distinguish this promise from the un-
kept promises Of the past by adding
as emphatic an adjective as could be
found in the dictionary.
Fat Frying Process.
Are we not justified in saying that
the people cannot safely entrust the
execution Of this important work to
a party, which is so deeply obligated
to the highly protected interests as is
the Republican .party?" The ''fat fry
ing process has become familiar to
the. American people. Pressure has
been brought to bear. upon the pro-
tected interests every four years: ana ana
to a. less extent in the congressional
campaigns between presidential cleo
tions-to compel contributions to the
campaign fund in return for former
favors and in anticipation of the IA
vors yet to come. Those who, are
acquainted with the tariff fight know
to what an extent the pecuniary ar
gument has been used.
8usIe Call Platform.
The recent Republican platform is
a bugle' call to ever y beneficiary of
special privilege, to enlist again un-
der the Republican banner. and when
the election is over and the Repub-
lican committee publishes the list Of
contributors-too late to make the in
formation valuable-it will be found
that the Republican party has again
SO obligated itself to. the protected
interests as to. be unable to make:
revision in the interests Of the con-
sumers.
Its Past Refusal.
With a president who, toward the
close Of his term, admitted the neces-
sity for tariff revision, with a two
thirds majority in the senate and
nearly sixty majority In the house, the
Republican party has refused to per-
NIT any revision whatever. Mr.. Will
liams, the leader Of the minority in
the house, introduced bill providing
for a reduction of the tariff to 100
per cent, wherever it is now more
than 100 per cent. It would look like
the Republican party might have
taken this step toward tariff revision,
had it been deeply in earnest; but no,
the bill was not even reported from
the committee. Whenever attention
was called to an indefensible schedule,
the answer was that they could not
afford to open the subject for debate
just before a campaign, but there lis
no force in this objection because the
house rules are so framed that the
majority: can cut off debate, prevent
amendment: and silence opposition: "
No Hope for Republicans.
We would not expectia jury to do
justice to the defendant If 1t was
composed entirely Of the relatives of
the plaintiff neither can we expect
a congress to do Justice to- the masses
If it is composed of men who are in
sympathy with, and obligated to, the
corporations which have for gener-
alton been enjoying special privileges.
What Democrats Viii %. =
: The Democratic platform not only
demands a reduction Of the tariff BUT
IT. plainly outlines the course to be
pursued in securing the reduction It
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.. Have1nNyer.
the head Of the sugar trust, said that,
the tariff was the mother Of trusts
and her children are many. =:. IS.
The whole aim Of our party is to
secure Justice in taxation. We believe
that each individuaI should con
tribute to the support Of the govern
n1ent III proportion TO the benefits
which he receives under the p1roteec,--
tion OF the government. We believe
tf,a that revenue tartff, approaching
gradually, according to the plan laid
y the burdens alr o xation, ana that the