The daily sentinel., 1908-08-22


done any time during the last ten
years.
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 obli-
gated to the highly protected inter-
ests as is the Republican party?' The
fat frying process has become fam
iliar to the American people. Pres
sure has been brought to bear upon
the protected interests every four
years-and to a less extent in the
congressional campaigns between
presidential elections-to compel
contributions to the campaign fund
in return for former favors and in
anticipation of favors yet to come.
IL is difficult to overestimate the cor
rupting influences introduced into
the political life of the nation by this
partnership between the government
ano the favored industries. The lit
erature circulated in support of
protective tariff has studiously cul-
tivated the idea that suffrage should
be employed TO secure pecuniary re-
turns, and the appeal made by the
Republican leaders has come to be
more and more a selfish one. Every
man engaged in protected industry
has been approached with the prop
osition that it is dollars in his pocket
to maintain the system, while those
who could not possibly trace any
tangible benefits to themselves have
been beguiled with the assurance
that it was all matter of public
spirit and that they ought TO support
the system out of patriotic love of
country. If attention was called to
the fact that the farmer was taxed
for the benefit of the manufacturer,
the triple answer was that it would
come back to him indirectly; that it
did not amount to much for each
farmer anyhow; and that a man was
small minded who would begrudge SO
insignificant contribution to the ma
tions prosperity. The plan has been
to keep the taxpayers quiet by keep
ing them in the dark as to the opera
tion of the law, and then to concen-
trate the votes and influence of the
taX-eaters in favor of a continuation
of high tariff legislation. If tariff
of fifty per cent was imposed upon
a given article of merchandise. it was
assumed that those engaged in the
production of the article would con-
tribute literally to keep up the tar
iff. 1t was also assumed that the en-
ployees would vote with their en-
ployers to keep from having their
wages reduced, and it was expected
that the business men of the town
would also vote for the tariff because
of the business brought to the com
munity by the protected industry.
Those who are acquainted with the
tariff fight know to what an extent
the pecuniary argument has been
used. The recent Republican plat
form is bugle call to every benefic-
iary of special privilege, to enlist
again under the Republican banner,
and when the election is over and the
Republican committee publishes the
list of contributors-too late to make
the information valuable--it will be
found that the Republican party has
again so obligated itself to the pro-
tected interest as TO be unable to
make revision in the interests of
the consumers.
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
permit any revision whatever. Mr..
Williams, the leader of the minority
in the House, introduced bill pro-
viding for a reduction of the tariff
to 100 per cent, wherever it is now
more than 100 per cent 1t would
IL
have taken this step toward tariff re-
vision, had it been deeply in earnest;
but no, the bill was not even report
ed from the committee. Whenever
attention was called to an indefen-
sible schedule, the answer was that
they could not afford to open the
subject for debate just before cam
paign, but there is no force in this
objection because the House rules are
so framed that the majority can cut
off debate, prevent amendment and
silence opposition.
THE administration has claimed
credit for the fine against the Stand
ard Oil company in the case which
was lately reversed, but no effort
has been made to relieve the people
from the fine which is imposed upon
them every day by the Standard Oil
company through the operation of
the tariff law which gives that COM
pany more than 100 per cent pro-
lection against its chief rival, Rus
sia. What faith can real tariff re-
former, whether he be a Republican
or a Democrat, repose in the Repub-
lican leaders, when they deliberately
put off all reduction until after cleo
ton, and then call for contributions,
with the understanding that the pub
| lie shall not know the names of the
contributors until after the polls are
closed?
THE Republican platform says
| that the tariff is intended for the
American manufacturers, farmers
and producers, especially for the
wage earners. II the farmer and the
wage Garner ARE really the chief
beneficiaries of the protective sys-
tenn. will the Republican candidate
explain why the farmer and the wage
Garner have contributed so little to
the Republican campaign fund? Is