The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-07-28


them now. Naturally they write high
er duties instead OF lower. The con-
,sumer is not taken into account.
The demands OF business to have
duties adjusted to world conditions TO
the end that the United States may
eign commerce are not taken into ac-
count.
| Already the warning has been
sounded and by no less parsonage than
Senator Aldrich, the high priest of
high tarifIism in the upper branch.
chairman of the Finance Committee,
and bulwark between the interests
and any possible harm that may come
to them through tariff revision. Mr..
Aldrich perceiving that revision Is a
possibility-that the Republicans may
have to promise 1t in order to carry
the election. and after the election
may have to do little something to-
ward making their word half way
good-has pointed out that the rev.
enues are decreasing and the appro-
priations increasing, and IL this goes
on much longer the government will
have to raise more revenue by putting
up the tariff imports. This Is an old
excuse. IL has been worked many
times. And evidently the leaders of
the party in power are making ready
to work II again. Their attitude Is like
this None but stupid fools will de-
mand any revision of our sacred tariff.
But If there are a lot of such fools and
IL we must do something to appease
you. all right, we will give you re-
vision-upward. How will you like
that? And perhaps after you have
been given a dose of higher duties
you will learn to keep your proper
iplace and let us and Eastern manu-
'facturers run the tariff to suit our
selves"
Others might have written these
facts at that time. Mr.. Wellman did
write them. And in the light of sub
sequent events they are worth read
Ing over now. It Is true that Mr.. Taft
has been elected President since that
time. And also II is true that both
before and since he became Presi-
dent he promised revision of the tar
in. SO far those promises are not
written into what will soon be the
tariff statute. There Is no evidence of
the Presidents public position In this
tariff bill, but there is preponder-
ence of evidence showing conclusive
ly that "the high priest of high tar e
lin" is giving the people revision-up-
ward. Mr.. Taft may feel that at the
end of four years as President he will
retire upon the glory and the honor
OF his position-that during the four
years he will avoid the turbulent rivers
and seek The placid lakes of official
life. His aim in life have Always
been towards ease. He would have
preferred the iolling chair of the Su-
preme Court to the paper-piled desk
of the Executive Mansion. In the tar
III course he has apparently chosen he
may find comfort but he will not
achieve fame, and the party he rep
resents will have to answer for his
false pledges and broken promises.
There is an opportunity for the
President TO realize the danger of
the path which the Speaker and the
Senate Leader have marked out for
him. The people may not understand
the tariff bill. but they do understand
the promises of lowering OF the cost
OF the necessities OF life. The con-
sumer is unknown to either Mr.. Can
non or Aldrch, and they have drafted
the bill oblivious of his existence. Thye
have packed the committees to make
sure that no friend of the consumer
shall appear in his support. il any
such there be In either house OF Con-
Igress. Thus surrounded the tariff
measure is being worn down. When
finally landed the protected interests
will hail Cannon and Aldrich as the
greatest statesmen of the age. Presi-
dent Taft will have but scant recog-
milton, and his power will have been
destroyed so far as it's influence in
Congress is concerned. Will the Presi-
dent grasp the one opportunity before
him-a veto of the Aldrich- Cannon
tariff crime.-NatioiLal Monthly.
1