The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-04-24
Motive Power That 1mpels tho
Advocates Of Protection
IS Selfishness.
1EgALIZED ROBBERY TO
BENEFIT A SELECT FEW
Enables Certain Interests to Take
Money Without Giving Any:
thing in Return. -

Attempts to revise or change the
tariff laws have always been marked
by shameful exhibitions OF greed. Sell
fishness has always been the motive
that impelled the advocates Of pro-
lection. Whether the desire for high
tariff duties Is based on the idea OF
protection for the benefit Of the whole
nation, section a state, city, or only
those engaged in q single line of pro-
duction, 1t Is a, narrow, selfish idea,
that is disgusting to honest, thought
ful. broad-minded men.
Desire for Graft.
To the greedy selfishness hereto
fore exhibited by high tariff advocates
those who are now ION the job," the
friends Of the tariff" have added
graft. They brazenly flaunt their
plans to rob the people by advocating
tariff duties without even pretense
that they would have any other effect
than to enable certain interests to
take money without giving anything
in return. They ask TOR ahtgh tariff
simply because it would give a select
few opportunity to practice graft un-
der cover OF law.
Tho Lumber Trade.
Take lumber, for instance. Nobody
will sa ythat lumber Is an infant
industry" 1t does not need fostering
or encouragement. On the contrary
it has been coddled and encouraged
TOO much-so much that it has prac-
tically exhausted one of the coun-
try's most valuable resources. There
Is no claim, not even a pretense, that
a tariff duty on lumber will produce
any material amount of revenue, hence
It would be of no benefit to the gov
ernn1ent. The country uses about
forty billion feet, of which less than
one billion feet is imported. On the
other thirty mine billion feet the peo-.
pie pay tribute at the rate (of 50 to IS
per thousand fQr. n1ind. YOU, the luna
Der barons do not tsop ct adding
simply the amount Of duty they put
on "all the traffic will bear -
Tho Actual Motives.
That the motives behind the pleas
for high tariff duties are greed, graft
and selfishness is shown by the atti-
tude Of Congressman Dickema The
fhis friends are stockholders in tan
neries. Therefore, the congressman
favors free hides. Mr.. Diekema and
some of his constituents are also in
terested in beet sugar factories. There
uore, the congressman objects to free
sugar-he and his friends want the
special privilege of exacting about a.
cent a pound on sugar from 80 people
who are not financially interested in
the production of sugar for the benefit
of one who is so Interested.
The Payne Bill.
Greed, graft and selfishness have
also been exhibited in changes in the
Payne bill during the past month
livery change made or proposed has
peen IN the interest Of certain inter
ests' without regard Of right or justice
- and without considering the welfare
or the country as whole. Even the
reVenue-producing effect of the sched-
ules mas been d1regarded, the friends
OF the tariff" having devoted their
efrorts entirely to squaring them
serves with their constituents With a,
view. of reelection. AS a result the
bill as sent to the senate must he
changed in order to secure revenue
and those whose greedy, CRAFTY spec
1al privileges have been cut off will
try to have the senate restore them.
Senatorial Attitude. &
What the senate may do with the
Payne bill is uncertain. Most Of the
senators also represent special priv
Aeged classes and will strive to pro-
tect their interests. They will. want
to make changes, not for revenue, but
for robbery.
Surely General Hancock was: right
when he declared: THE, tariff has
become purely local issue" It should
not be So For the good of the people
1t should be purely national. The
duties should be fixed without regard
to the greed and graft in the so-called
principle Of protection. The country
should have tariff for revenue on
ly' No other kind is authorized bv
the constitution and no other kind
can be of any benefit to the country
atS WhOle-The Ohsor,1or