Manchester Democrat., 1909-04-14
TARIFF FIGHT A SCRAMBLE FOR
GRAFT. IOWA SHOULD FAVOR
Low TARIFF.


Low TARIFF.
Ex-Govcrnor Joseph W. Folk, whe
Put to route the corrupt ring in ST
Louis aud who became an authority
on the suhiect of graft, said in an
interview in Des Moines the Other
day;
The tariff fight in congress is dc
generating into mere scramble fol
a part OF the graft by the various
congressman. Then he scored thosc
congressman, democrats as we'll as
republicans, for their selfish view OF
the tariff question. He declared that
the 1912 campaign should be fought
On the tariff issue and that the dem
ocrats should make war on the tar
iff graft"
There are two kinds of graft Mr.
Folk said, in answer to a question,
Graft may be either privilege ex-
ercised contrary to law, CT privi
iase conferred by law. The tariff
graft is a graft conferred by law"
Different from the st. Louis
brand, then?" was suggested.
"Much different. That kind OF
graft was privilege exercised con.
trary to law" replied the governor,
smiling. His smile is one of the
marks that explains his success as
a politician. His short, crisp manner
of talking, softened only little by
the slight southern drawl, bespeaks
the lawyer and his firm clear-cut CHR
helps to an understanding of his
fearlessness in the prosecution of the
St Louis grafters who threatened
his life; his strong features and his
general carriage give him an air of
aloofness-until he smiles. Then the
hard lines of his face soften, his
handshake takes on added friend
illness and new acquaintance. meet
ing Kim for the first time, knows
why SO many thousands of Missouri
Tariff Is a Graft.
I'VE were talking about the tariff y
he said after an Interruption by a
bellboy with grip, another with
some stationery and third to see
if the first two were getting what
the former governor wanted. las i
was about to say. the protective tar
iff is graft whereby a few men are
given the privilege of preying upon
ths .est of the people. l believe
those congressman from states like
Iowa are making mistake in vot-
ing for d protective tariff on hides,
for by doing SO they are giving
the other interests right to
demand tariff high enough
to enable them to filch more money
from the people of Iowa.
iowa could we'll afford to do with
out a tariff on hides if the people of
Iowa could get their clothes, their
shoes, hats and stockings without
being compelled to pay tribute to
paflefacturers already enjoying
swollen fortunes.
Nothing will ever be accomplish
ed, however, in putting the tariff on
strictly revenue basis as long as
each congressman demands his rake
off for his district.
1--WE used to be told that the tariff
was not tax, and that the foreigner
paid the tariff. The consideration of
the Payne bill hss made it clear that
when the tariff is raised on gloves,
for instance, it is paid by the people
who buy the gloves. If these increas
ed prices went to maintain the gov
ernment it would not be $50 bad, but
it goes instead into the pockets OF
the manufacturers.
People Should Be Protected.
Instead of protecting monopoly
against the people, the people should
be protected against monopoly. The
tariff is legalized graft by which
the Golfers of monopoly are kept full
For instance, suppose two men were
manufacturing shoes in Iowa ant
suppose a law were passed placing
prohibitive tariff of S. per pail
upon all shoes brought into Iowa. OF
course such a law would no'
be constitutional, but this is
merely by way of illustration
1t would give these two me1
manufacturing shoes in lows
a graft. They would have the powe'
to demand and receive more thai
the natural price for their shoes
This, within limited radius, is ex
actly what high protective tariff
does for all the United States.
"The democratic idea is that it i
better that all the people be prosper
Gus than that few of the people b
very rich. 1t is more important tha
all the wealth should be in tn
hands of all the people than that a
the wealth sould be in the hand
of few If the democrats {
congress would join hands and figf
for these principles they could a
complish something, but the man WI
forsakes principle to get a part
the loot for his district is false
himself and to his party"
"Ybur arraignment, then, is direc
ed at democrats as well as republ
cans in congress?"
| All Are to Blame.
! "Yes, indeed. The democratic co
gressmen are as much to blame
. are the majority party member
They vote for the special interest
their respective districts instead
for the principle that is involved
the tariff fight.
at is of course, too early to s.
what the issues in the next campai
will be, but it should be the elimir
tion CT this breeder Of monoplies