The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-15
The ALDRICH INFAMY
New York Publication Tells of the Ef-
forts to Deceive the People
of the West. ..

New York Journal of Commerce:
Everv day in the senate debate Sena-
tor eAldrich of Rhode Island makes 1T
palmer that it has been his determ-
ination from the first as chairman of
the finance committee, to prevent
such revision Of the tariff as the
country had been led to expect from
the pledges of the dominant party. 1t
may be, as he brazenly declares, that
the juggling platform of the party did
not promise reduction of duties, but
its candidate for president pledged
himself to that policy, and the cam
paign of his election was conducted
on the pretence that it would be car
ried out. But the senator from Rhode
Island, who arrogates to himself SUI
perior wisdom because he has given
thirty years to this subject" and who
has In reality given that period to
building up his power in the party by
all manner of political intrigue, was
clearly resolved in his own mind that
no such policy should be pursued If
he could prevent 1t.
The laborious preparation of a bill
by the ways and means committee of
the house, in which II revenue bills
must originate. was to him a mere
formality which might result in furn-
ishing him with a skeleton of sched-
ules to work upon. Though he made
a shifty and evasive denial when
faced with the matter by Senator
Beveridge, The Congressional Record
shows that. he did almost vauntingly
declare that he had never read the
hearings before that committee and
had no knowledge of statements made
there. Even il he referred to his dis
claimer to a single Insignificant item
not then under discussion, which is
contradicted by the context, 1t is cer-
tain that nothing in those hearings
had any effect, upon his set purpose
OF preventing the promised tarih re-
vision. He used the Payne Dill only
ais a framework upon which to WORK
out his own scheme OF iefeating
genuine revision. He showed not the
least respect for its reductions in
rates where they varied from his pur-
pose and most of the changes which
he made. not in number, but In sig
nificant effect, were for the increase
Of protection for industries in which
he and those he serves had a pecun-
iary interest, and for the support OF
that increase by tariff In favors 10
others. In many cases this increase
was disguised by the tricks and de-
vices in which thirty years OF ex-
perience has made the senator an
adept.
Having made a tariff bill to suit
his own designs, and with no regard
for promises and pledges, for pubic
expectation, the interests of the coun-
trv or the wishes OF the people, he In
duced his subservient committee to
report it to the senate as substitute
FOR the Payne bill almost as soon as
that was received from the house with
certification of its passage. He de-
voted his explanation Of its provisions
to the plausible and delusive claim
that it would provide sufficient rev
enue and that under present circum-
stances that was the all important
consideration. He made a pretence OF
reduction in rates which scutiny
speedily refuted, and since then has
been engaged in trying to work his
bin through. not by convincing argu-
ment Or rational persuasion, but by
the only means or which he - master,
intrigue and trafficking for support.
He has shown that not revenue but
s'protection'' was what he was con-
stantly aiming at, not protection for
American trade, not protection for
the national interests of the United
states or the welfare OF the people.
but for protection for the inordinate
profits of capital In variety Of In
terests which had liz the past been
united to keep him and his party Ia
power and might be held In co-opera-
| tion for the same purpose.
Re had confrived his schedules wiz