Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-17

| IN no wise compares WIN INC uau'aS'
resulting TO them in the decay OF polt;.
ical morals. due 10 the successful ri-
forts to utilize government Tor buSi'
nrs purposes. The steady lowering of
political ideals which has occurred
will diminish or cease when and only
| when business and politics are rem
drrrd. TO that end the gradual re.
ductiun OF the lariff to a revenue basis
should he entered upon and persist
I'd in. doubtless. TO prevent such re-
protected interests and may he prrcipi
protected intrests and may be prccips-
tated bu, their elimination from gov
rrmental control will b" Of infinitely
greater value to the people than the
cost OF one or even many panics.
Panic in Their Power.
"Tha, a panic is easily within their
! combined power no one doubts. That
the power will not be exercised cX-
Ccpt as last resort. common sense
teaches But that their mastery Will
be surrendered before eXhalsting THIS
last resource. only the hlindlv cred.
ulous can lnli"v". Their leaders in
clude many Of the most masterful
men OF th.s generation. And they
hav" always nc their command vast
power; in situations shrcwdly created
to meet emergencies. in Serviccah'c
men without number. in money al
/; mos, without limit.
! THE combined power Of the protect
ed interests i'm this country as they
exist today cannot be measured. hard.
| ~ even imagined by the wisest men.
What one OF their units can do TO-
wards helping itself to property that
, ii Wishes has recently been described
| before n committee OF the United
States Senate having under consider
alton the absorption OF the Tennessee
Coal & Iron Company by the United
States Steel Corporation One can
! bat marvel at the ability which con-
rcived and the audacitv which created
the situation from which the latter
merged with It's greatest competitor
| in its arms ready to receive the gen.
erous and abundant thanks Of n CRATE
full people for having stopped the panic
bv this seizure with executive sane
ton
! Special Session Of Congress.
I: I'm Il few days Congress is to meet
| in special session to revise the tarin.
| For both the great political parties
are committed to the absolute neces,
sitv of revision. The recent adOp-
| tion by the Republican party of this
view we NAV accept as conclusive OF
| the necessity Yet in weighing the
| value Of that party's commitment to
! the proposition we should not forget
| that while it's latest platform promises
n revision of the tariff'. II does not
in terms promise any reduction OF
duties And we must admit that re-
| vision OF the tariff can be as we'll up
| as down. So also must we admit that
all the revlsiOns SO far made by the
Republican party have been upwards.
Constituting the language in the light
of the party's action heretofore. we
find some explanation for the conf
dence OF the protected interests.
| But the President does not SO con-
strue this promise to the people. AS
he cannot dissemble himself. .he IL not
willing to have his party dissemble.
Hence he insists that good faith re
auires a reduction OF duties in many
II not in all cases.
will his view prevail or will that
of the protected interests? Let rs
, hope that OF the President though
anxiety as to the issue is fully jutsi-
| fed.
The testimony of Carnegie rOut ng
as it did, at least temporarily. the
stand pa tiers on the committee, open
ed the eyes of many. Yet /, must be
remembered that Truth does not al
ways win victories.
Interests Forming Their Lines.
The protected interests are now
| forming their lines for the battle. In
1T
18th. Mr.. James Van Cleave. Pres
dent of the National Association OF
Manufacturers. said of President
Taft:
| He insists thai the coming revision
of the tariff should he honest and
! intelligent As TINS will come in the
extra session which he will call. 1t
will be the first measure OF mis- admin
istratiOn And he joins the great BODY
of the business men Of the country in
favoring the creation Of a permanent
! expert. non-partisan commission. -
make the investigations on which Con-
eress can lase tariff legislation.
The country wants legislation
which will protect labor equally with
capital. Each has needs which should
he promoted. Each has rights that
the other must respect But special
favors mus: not be granted to either.
Mr.. Taft'x trOadness. poise and judi
cial training will aid Congress In
marking out the legislation in this and
the other fields which the country
demands
This is interesting and instructive.
Once again the mighty hosts of labor
are pu forward bv the capitalist Van
CIeave 10 assure TO certain capital an
unjust return Again We see that
one Of The lines Of battle follows the
preceden, of 1889 and 1883. the pro
itected interests whom Presidenj Van
/ CIeaxe inaccurately Describes as the