Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-12
The Tariff Situation,

This week the senate passed SEIZED
ule, adding to the duty on all kinds of
wooden clothing from which it is ex-
pected that $4O,O00,COO year in rev.
'enue will be raised. All protest against
this action was unavailing. Neither
Delivers fervid eloquence nor La Fol
lette's singing accusations against Aid
rich awaited t" defeat this action, de-
|signed to enrich the wooden trust at
the expense of S0,000,000 people.
Similar action, it is remembered,
was taken in regard to the cotton
schedule. Senator Gore of Oklahoma
and others pointed out that the cotton
corporations of New England were pay
ing enormous dividends, showing the
great profits which they are reaping in
their industry; but these facts seemed
to have no effect on the steam roller
methods of the Rhode Island boss, sup
ported by his gang in the senate, be-
hind which are the great, greedy, ag-
gressive, predatory combinations, that
are determined to add to their vast
wealth by excluding foreign products,
making this country an exclusive mar
ket for their goods and keeping up
lprices to suit their own selfish inter
ests. But protests against the tactics
and the action of the senate are reach
ing the members OF that body from
every direction. Persons who have
never wavered in their adherence to
the principle of protection are joining
in these protests.
| Newspapers that have steadfastly
defended high protective tariff, such
as the Mckinley and Dingley acts, are
Inow raising their voices against the
Idespot1sm of the Aldrich crowd The
iSt. Louis Globe Democrat which has
been and is one of the strongest pro
ltectionist organs in the country, utters
tits protest against the action of the
lsenate in revising upward duties on
PARTICLES which were expected to go or
the free list or at least to be put among
those on which the duties would be
lowered. The Globe-Democrat now
lcalls upon Taft TO come out in state
lment of his position and to urge the
lsenate to change its course. 1t de
lclares that it will be much better that
Taft use his influence to secure more
reasonable tariff measure now than tC
wait until it goes to conference, where
the difficulties may be much greater
in the way of securing downward re
vision. The Globe-Democrat sees thai
the enactment of tariff bill, like tina
(which the senate is framing, will prove
most disastrous to the republican
lparty, and result in great change il
the political complexion of congress
following the next congressional cleo
ton.
La Toilette told the senator's that tn.
men who controlled the Chicago con
, vention, which nominated Taft, wer,
for a lower tariff, and that il tn,
, American people had supported sucl
a policy as that of Aldrich would pre-
vail, not four states of this union woult
have voted for Taft; that Taft him
| self announced that the republican
} party would revise the tariff, that tn
3 revision would, on the whole be down
= ward, and that he was elected witt
: that understanding; that Aldrich an,
t his crowd are not simply ignoring tn
platform of their party, but are direct
: ly violating the promises and pledge
g upon which the republican candidate
We're elected last November to the hig
+ offices which they now occupy.
Certainly the tariff situation is on
q In which we MAY look for stirrin
: events during the next few weeks.