Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-12-24
THE WEST IS GROANING.

tariff. 1t made a wonderful fight
against the Payne-Aldrich bill, but
with Democratic deserters to the camp
of the enemy, the fight was lost, and
the present tariff iniquity became a
law. If there is ever relief from the
burden that rests on US, increased as it
has been by the artful treachery of the
Eastern Repu blicans, and the open
treachery of many Southern Demo-
Gratis, we must look for, indeed receive
it, by coalition of real tariff reform
Democrats, with the 'insurgents" of
the West. We have gently read a
most interesting pamphlet from the
pen of Mr.. w. d. Washburn, Jr., OF
Minneapolis, Mimi, a staunch Repub-
lican, but one of the many who feels
that the Western States have been
"fimfamed" by the platform on
which Mr.. Taft was elected, by the ac-
ton of Congress when called in spec
ial session to revise the tariff, as well
as by Mr.. Taft, who in recent speech
in Mr.. Washburn IS own State declared
the present tariff bill the best the par
tv had ever passed. This last was too
much for the people of Minnesota and
wemay add many other Western States
and they are in open revolt. Mr..
Washburn says:
"The people of the West do not OBJ
ject because they think plain citizens
are getting poorer, but they do object
because they think that the average
citizen is not getting his just share of
the great profits of industry to which
his common citizenship entities him.
They do not object to the great fortunes
men of talent are building up within
the law. They do object to the fortunes
built under system that taxes the
great mass for the benefit of the few.
They do not abject to the men who
made these fortunes, as they do to the
lax and unjust laws by which it is pos
81 BILE to make them. The West does
not want flee trade or such low tariff
as will injure legitimate industries,
that now nourish or employ their fell
low citizens in any portion of the land.
Our people must be employed. They
do want a reduction of the tariff where
1t only seems to increase the cost of
living "among common men,"
He calls attention to the fact that
five out of seven members of the Sen
ate conference committee were from
New England, and that the House
conference committee was almost
equally as skillfully appointed, and
that there never was a moment when
an honest effort was made to revise the
tariff downward, a promise he says
made and fully endorsed by the entire
nation. He further calls attention to
the fact that Minnesota's two Senators
and nine Congressman have the State
behind them in their fight against the
present tariff schedules, that the peo-
pie know there are protected monopo-
lies that instead of a promised fair pro-
fit, make from 25 to so per cent. on
their over protected mills, and many
have over capitalized their business to
the amount of from 200 to 800 per cent.
and yet make profit, thereon.
He winds up by stating that for a
time these Western States may be out
voted, but they do not expect to change
their minds nor be driven out of the
Republican party, in their effort for
fairer laws. This, to our mind, opens
up vista. We shall yet see, we be-
lieve, the agricultural West and the
agricultural South joining against the
autocracy and wealth of New England
and under proper leadership they will
overthrow the tyranny of that section
and place the laws of protection upon
a proper and fair basis. 1t is not right
that one section should act as slaves
for another section, or that they should
be made to serve as vassals to trust
barons, and by joining these two Sec
tons which are homogeneous in life
and labor, the East can and will be
humbled. The fight is waxing and
possibly the new combination may
turn to Mr.. Roosevelt as the man who
will lead this new phalanx. Who can
tell
~%>-
The.railroad building from Gassaway
on the Elk river in w. Va. toward
Sutton, has six miles in operation and
the residue being pushed to completion.
This road will follow Elk to Addison,
and possibly to the head of that river,
and over to Glover Lick in Pocahontas
county.
AN IMPORTANT CASE.