The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-09-23

everything that came from their particu-
lar section. If we are TO have free trade
certainly il cannot be had through the
maintenance of Republican maiorities in
the Senate and House and Republican
administration.
And now the question arises. what was
the duty of a member of Congress who
believed in . downward revision greater
than that which has been accomplished.
who thought that the wool schedules ought
to be reduced and that perhaps there
were other respects in which the bill could
be improved? Was it his duty because
in his judgment it did not fully and COM
pfetely comply with the promises of the
party platform as he interpreted Ii, and
indeed as l had interpreted it, to vote
against the bill? / am here to justify
those who answer this question in the neg
ative.
Now, | am not here to criticise those
Republican members and Senators whose
views on the subject of tariff were so
strong and intense that they believed it
their duty TO vote against their party on
the tariff bill 1t is a question for each
man to settle for himself The question is
whether he shall help maintain the party
for accomplishing its chief purposes or
whether the departure from principle in
the bill, as he regards il, is so eXtrelIe
that he must in consequence abandon the
party. OF course. ii / had vetoed the bill
| would have received the applause of
many Republicans. who may be called low
tariff Republicans. and who think deeply
on that subject. and of all the Democ-
racy. Our friends the Democrats would
have applauded and then laughed in their
sleeves at the condition i'm which the
party would have been left. buI more
than this. and waving consideration OF
the party. where would the country have
been had the bill been vetoed or been lost
BY vote?
Tells of Peril To Prosperity.
1T would have left the question of the
revision of the tariff open for further dis
cussion during the next session il would
have suspended the settlement of all our
business down to known basis upon
which prosperity could proceed and in
vestments be made. and il would have
held UP the coming of prosperity to this
country certainly for year. and prob
ably longer. There are reasons why Mr..
Tawney voted for the bill there are the
reasons why | signed il. But there are
additional reasons why the bill ought not
to have been beaten. IL contained pro-
interest of this country in dealing with
foreign countries and in the supplying of
a deficit which under the Dingley bill
seemed inevitable
I'VE have imposed an excise tax upon
corporations measured by l per cent upon
the net Income of all corporations, except
fraternal and charitable corporations. aft
er exempting $4,000. This. it is thought.
$4,000 600, will supply the deficit which
otherwise might arise without IL. and
will bring under federal supervision more
or less all the corporations of the coun-
Try.
"Then we have finally done justice TO
the Philippines. / do not hesitate to re-
peat that / think ii would have been an
unwise sacrifice of the business interests
of the country; il would have been an I'M
wise sacrifice of the solidarity. efficiency
and promise-performing power of the
party, and TO have projected into the next
session another long discussion of the tar
III and to have delayed or probably de-
feated the legislation needed in the i'm
provement OF our interstate commerce
regulation. and in making more efficient
our antitrust laws and the prosecutions
under ii. Such legislation is needed to
clnch the Roosevelt policies. by which
corporations and those in control of them
shall be limited to a lawful path.
Now. there is another provision i'm the
new tariff that / regard as of the ut
most Importance. It is provision which
appropriates $4,000 for the President to
employ persons to assist him i'm the exc
iff clause and in the administration of the
tariff law.
Thinks Time VIII Tell.
after it has been operating for two or
three years we can tell much more accu-
rately than we can to-day it's effect upon
the industries OF the country and the ne
cessity for any amendment on it's pro-
visions.
Il have tried to state as strongly as |
can, but not more strongly than | think
the facts justify. the Importance of not
disturbing the business interests Of this
country by an attempt I'm this Congress