Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-03

Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 3.-Sena-
tor A. 3. Cummins, temporary chair
man of the republican convention, in
his address today, said in part:
But whatever may have been said
/ il the campaign, 1 agree that there was
no formal pledge in the platform to
revise the tariff downward.
There was, however a pledge that
lit should be revised so that the duties
upon protected commodities should be
| tie difference between the cost of pro-
ducing them here and in other coun-
tiles, with a fair profit adde's, and the
intent, as everybody will concede, was
that our manufacturers should be able
20 enter our markets and sell their pro-
ducts at a fair price as against their
/ fCI reign intent that grossly excessive
pl offs growing out Of abnormal prices
should be prevented by reducing the
duties to a point that would admit i'm
pc rtations whenever our own manu-
lecturers raised their prices above the
level of fairness and decency.
Such was the platform and such
was the purpose that it became the
y
believe that ninety-nine republicans in
every hundred desired revision that
would keep the faith and accomplish
the purpose. l believe that the presi
dent wanted to fulfill the promises of
the party, and to make good his own
declarations; but the leaders of both
the house and the senate refused to
recognize the party pledge; refused to
he guided by the rule which had been
announced and forced through con-
g1ess a tariff bill without even the pre-
tense of attempting to ascertain, or of
applying when ascertained, the stand
a:2 which the party had established.
The bill made many reductions and
many increases-but the reductions
were of little or 10 avail for they left
the duties still far above tho differ
ence in cost of production, and there
fore permits the protected manufactu-
rers not only to charge existing prices,
but to lift them still higher. and the
increases were in nearly every in
stance, not only without reason in fact,
hut without defense in debate.
Some republicans, having done all
they could to make the bill what it
should have been, finally voted for it,
and 1 have no word of censure for
them, for they did what they believed
9 be their duty. Some of. US voted
against the bill, and We make no apol-
Cey for our votes.
Open Reputation of Pledges.
IF there had been an honest attempt
10 fix duties according to the cost of
mr. 7 oh
view on the question of fact; but there
WAS no such attempt, and I, for one, re
| fused to follow, and would refuse again
to follow Aldrich, Hale, Lodge, Cannon,
Payne and Dalzell into a sneering, CON
| temptuous, open reputation of my
party platform.
1t is not a republican measure, al
/ though passed by republican votes, for
tie men who are chiefly responsible for
/ It thought more of swelling the over
grown fortunes of their intimate
friends than they thought of the party
principles, the party pledge or the well
fare of a long suffering people.
ut is said that the law has been sue
cessful from a revenue standpoint
/ This is quite true; but it must be re-
membered that it is very easy 70 en-
large the receipts at the custom
houses. The democrats could have
done that with their condemned and
obsolete theory of tariff for revenue
only.
TT is said that it has stimulated
business. 1t may be that it has, for
the prize of enormous profits is ex-
CT edingly tempting.
1T is claimed that the average tax
upon dutiable imports is something
like one per centum less than under
the Dingley act. This may or may not
be so, for 1 have learned to doubt the
accuracy of tariff statements. but grant
ing the truth of the statement, what a
superb showing it is.
We have revised the tariff in re-
Spouse to an overpowering republican
sentiment, and have succeeded in TAX
lhg off about one-forty-second of the
average imposition upon dutiable
goods.
In all that has been said by those
VINO have, during the last year. de.
Tended the measure there has been no
claim that We either fixed or tried to
fix, the duties according to the cost of
production, and yet that is the test.
and the only test by which the act
should be tried if we have any regard
for our plighted word.
81 do not intend to review it's
schedules upon this occasion | have
done that in another and more ap-
.propriate forum, and expect to do it