The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-04-05
Address of Senator Albert J. Beyeridg
Delivered Before the Republican St;

re the Republ1'
a protective tariff which covers the
difference between the cost of pro-
duction here and abroad. Less than
that is unjust to American laborers;
more than that is unjust to American
consumers. And injustice is the only
foe that protection need fear. 1t was
to reduce the Dingley tariff to meet
changed conditions and secure JUS
tice that we undertook its revision.
Every economic policy. every po-
litical system, almost every govern
ment that has perished has been de-
stroyed because of excess and injus-
tice that crept into it. We want no
Lord Mort or King George, no Bour-
bon or Romanoff methods in Ameri-
can life, whether In government or
laws. whether in enacting tariff or
managing q party. The way to keep
secure policy. system Of govern
ment that in itself is good is to ad-
minister 1t with Justice and wisdom.
The only way to keep party solid
and governing is to keep 1t right and
progressive. The wfsest friend of pro-
lection is he who would undermine
1t by extortion in projections name.
Mckinley saw this when he declar-
ed in his last great speech that in
tariff matters "the period OF exclu-
siveness is past"
Senator Morell, the father of the
war tariff of 1864. saw it when he
declared in 1870: TT is the mistake
of the friends of sound tariff to in
sist on extreme rates proposed during
the war If less will raise the neces-
sary revenue"
Garfield saw it when he said: "The
wisest thing protectionists can do is
to unite on q moderate reduction OF
duties"
Theodore Roosevelt saw it when he
said at Logansport, Ind, in 1902:
What we really need in this country
is to treat the tariff as a business
proposition from the standpoint of the
interests as a whole. and not from the
standpoint of the temporary needs of
any political party"
The great masses Of Republican
voters understand it today when they
refuse to permit the great doctrine
of protection to be used to excuse and
cloak tariff excess. Perpetrate injus-
tice in the name of principle and
the friend Of that misused principle
will fight to save it.
Our last state platform said: "Pro.
lection never was a matter of sched-
ules, and while reaffirming the time
honored doctrine that there shall be
a discrimination in duties that will
fully protect the wage Garner in the
United States. we have never desired
a higher rate than would accomplish
that purpose"
Give protection to the wage-earner
Yes! But give unneeded millions tc
gigantic interests? No! That was
the last platform of Indiana Republi
cans, and what is my platform now
At the last session of congress, in
common with other lifelong Republi
cans and protectionists, fought fol
such duties in every schedule as
would carry out this principle.
Like President Taft. l wanted free
iron ore. of which we have the great
est deposits on earth. and which the
Steel Trust chiefly controls. On iror
ore no protection is needed. and
could not stand for the duty that was
proposed and passed. and canno
stand for it now. But a majority O
!. Democratic senators did stand ant
!; fight for it. and stand for it now.
Like President Taft. wanted fres
lumber, out of which the homes O
, the people are builded: lumber. O
which we are the greatest exporter.
} on earth; lumber, out of which fo
, domestic use and export mighty for
the making ofomighty fortunes out o
which our forests have been ruthless
!. ly slaughtered. could not stand TO
| the duty proposed and passed on lum
ber, and l cannot stand for it now
but Democratic senators did stan,
/ and fight for. it. and stand for /
/ now.
, Like President Taft, I wanted tn
, ancient woolen schedule reduced
t schedule ~ years old, which, If eve
right, long since has served the pul
, pose; which now gives to the Woolel
! Trust unfair control of our markets
which oppresses the wooLgrowel
l burdens other wooden manufacturers
raises the price and reduces tn
r weight of the peoples clothing.
/ stood against that schedule when W
, tried to reduce it: I stood against
t when the bill was passed. and I stan
) against 1t now.
i could not stand for an increas
, of duties on cotton cloths. the highe
+ grades OF which are used as clothin
!, by every man, woman and child, ric
: or poor, throughout the whole repul
lie. could not stand for that whe
. the evidence was against and no ev
( dence for it; and when the manufa,
? turers themselves formally declare
3 before the house committee that thei
D business was thriving, their labor en-
: ployed, and all that they asked wa
. the tariff on cotton goods should b
y decreased. stood against those il
+ creases on cotton goods when th
9 schedule was voted on; I stoo
0 against them when the bill was pas
ed, and stand against them now.
e / could not stand for an increas
y on structural steel, punched an
{ ready for use, out OF which all moder
:, h,,3ldinpu aro constructed md vif