Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-12
TARIFF EXPLOITATION

II = lINIl y IlNlN OF lIlB people OF
r. the United States by means Of a
~ tariff which President Taft has
fairly agonized in his vain effort to
explain away, IS the Interpretation OF
the new tax scheme that suggests
itself 10 Senator La Toilette, who says
the new tariff can be defined very
briefly in concise summary, consist
Ing Of four words: 1T IS an outrage"
The tariff was framed in a conspir-
acy-like manner, In secret conferences
with the representatives Of special In
/ terests. AS the result of such pro
cess, how can a square-deal measure
of tariff reform be looked for? Men
do not gather grapes of thorns
| All efforts TO harmonize tariff sched-
ules with any recognized principle Of
tariff legislation are hopeless, for 1t
is not based upon principle but upon
greed graft and pull. There IS hardly
a powerful special interest or great
trust combination in the country that
IS not made It's special beneficiary.
Part Of It's provisions create condi-
tions for the benefit and upbuilding
Of the steel trust.
The smelter trust Is protected by n
dlfferontlal duty on pig lead over and
above the duty on lead ore which ex-
ceeds the cost of smelling.
The cutlery trust, young and Wig
orous, is protected by excessive duties,
which no doubt in due course OF time
will produce cutlery millionaires.
1t maintains the joke on the Amer
lean people. by which they are COM
PEELED 70 pay more IN the United
states for American sewing machines,
| Itypewriters, machine tools, etc. than
the foreign consumer pays for them,
The sugar trust IS protected In n
practical monopoly Of refining with
the power TO levy toll on all the cane
sugar consumed by the American peo-
pie.
Rv enormous duties on cotton goods
every household IN the land Is taxed
! for the benefit of a clique Of cotton
manufacturers who are the personal
| friends Of Aldrich and are influential
in Republican politics in Rhode Island
| and other New England states
The woolen trust is protected by
duties Of 100, 40 and $50 per cent, and
manufacturers say the cost Of cloth
ing will be increased by one-fourth.
Trnhappily it cannot be doubted that
much winter hardship has been pre-
pared for the poor OF eastern cities
/ by this piratical tariff.
The duty on hides, which the house
mad the common decency to repeal
+ has been restored, presumably at the
/ instigation of the beer trust, which
thus has been nightly encouraged TO
continue it's depredations on the long
suffering American people, For the
benefit Of an absolute monopoly the
duty on high grado electric light car
bons has been increased. Up goes the
price of light.
The lumber trust is protected by the
continuation of the duty on rough
lumber with dfferential duties added
for finished lumber. These duties OK
eeed tho mill cost for finishing.
The duties Of the Dingley law ap-
plying to 20 per cent of the total Of
dutiable imports are re-enacted, and on
more than one-half the balance the
duties are increased. The increases
affect the consumer and lessen the
purchasing power Of his wages. Most
Of the decreases, like those on sugar,
/ iron and steel, are of no value to him
| and leave him still at the mercy Of
| the trusts.
Tariff revision is the most sardonic
measure that has ever been perpe-
trated upon the American people. Not
the least gargoylish part of its grim
humor is the fact it will give the
consumer a prolonged ordeal Of awak-
ening to gradual realization of the
various ways and means" by which
he is being attacked for the sake of
the protected trusts.
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With good government assured, the