Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-06-09
floss FLAYS TARIFF
Says Honest Revision Must Come
From Democrats
PLEADS FOR EXTRA SESSION

Massachusetts Manufacturer Sounds
the Slogan Free Wool and Cheap
CIothing"-Says People Have Lost
Confidence In the Republican Party.
Congressman Eugene N. Floss. the
victor Of Massachusetts. leading
manufacturer. by the way. and an ex
Republican whom the governments
tariff policy has driven into the Dem
ocratic ranks. indicated his new posi-
ton In stirring speech delivered in
the house on May 70. He said:
1T cannot be denied that the people
have. rightly or wrongly. come to re-
gard this whole revision scheme of
the Republican party leaders us plan
ned In the last national campaign and
US promulgated In their platform and
as finally butchered In the special tar
iff session of congress as an intention
al and deliberate bunko game from
start to finish"
Speaking Of the appointment of a
tariff commission to report as to the
difference in cost Of production here
and abroad. he insisted that the COM
mission should report to congress and
not to the president. He asked:
why does the administration seem
to be so solicitous that this commits
sion shall be absolutely under the con-
troll Of the executive. seeing that it is
primarily intended for such legislative
purposes? Is there an Interior mo-
tive?
IF the commission Is to be merely
an executive instrument and report
only to the president. how Is congress
to receive the information excepting
as the president may elect to transmit
1t. and what is to prevent the execu-
tive department from Withholding or
suppressing or coloring such informa-
ton. rs has more than once been done
heretofore? Is there not an evident
fear that the control of this commits
sion will too soon come into the hands
of a Democrat and reform congress"
In ominous tones that caught the
attention of the house he continued:
Il recognize that the people have lost
confidence IN the Republican party and
that they are no longer looking to them
for an honest revision. The people
have turned to the Democratic party.
Now the responsibility of an honest
revision of the tariff is up to the Dem
ocratc party with the aid of the in
surgent and such Independent elements
as will ally themselves with u.s.
In voicing his demand for another
special session to revise the tariff the
speaker said: THE people demand that
the revision and reduction of the tariff
which We're promised two years ago by
the Republican party be carried out by
the Democratic party as soon as the
new congress can convene. The Dem
Ocratic party ought TO raise the issue
that there shall be an extra session
convened next spring to do the work
to which this congress has proved
faithless. The people have made the
immediate reduction of the tariff the
issue. and the Democratic party must
pledge itself in Il most distinct and
specific way to carry out this course
compelling one. that the victory shall
be so complete that the Republican eX
ecutve will be forced to acquieSce in
it and call congress together"
Mr.. l"oss declared that the rallying
cry should be made Free wool aud
cheap clothing" But the climax of
his speech was his open declaration
as manufacturer that duties were
unnecessary:
Now at this point it seems to de-
volve upon me as Il representative here
in congress of this reform and as
representative manufacturer in the
iron and steel industry of New Eng
land engaged in the production OF
important lines of machinery. employ
ing large numbers of skilled workmen
and using large quantities of the fin
ished products of the steel trust. to
state publicly here that. in my judg-
ment. my industry and the people EN-
free trade conditions-that is, ii the
45 per cent duty was entirely removed
and provided these conditions apply
to the whole iron and steel industry
from the coal and iron ore up. This
statement is equally true of other sta
pie industries In fact. believe today
that under free trade conditions we
can compete in the markets of the
world in most If not all Of these in
dustries. and compete to better advan-
tage than we now do"
Is Payne Philanthropist?