Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-11-02

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their comforts. When the Republican
convention met in Chicago two years
ago there was an universal demand
among Republicans that the conven-
ton should unequivocally pledge the
party to revision of the tariff.
Continuing Governor Lind said:
The pledge was given in the plat.
form. 1t was understood to mean
that the tariff would be reformed and
reduced. On the strength of that
pledge and understanding, and the as
surances of the candidate that he IA
vored revision, as understood by the
people, Taft was elected. The Roose-
welt administration had shown a pro-
gressive policy. Taft repeatedly
through the campaign, pledged himself
to It's continuance. The people took
him at his word, and, irrespective Of
party, were hopeful and confident Of
his good intentions.
A Dscouraging Cabinet.
His choice OF officials seemed dis
courag1ng. A Pennsylvania standpat-
ter was named secretary of state; the
counsel OF the sugar trust his attor-
ney general; the general counsel of
the Illinois Central railway his secre-
/ tary OF war; the general counsel of
the Chicago Northwestern Railway
Co. his solicitor general, and Mr.. Bal
linger whose sole claim to fame at
that time was his phenomenal success
as collector Of campaign funds on
| the Pacific coast, was made his Sec
rotary of the interior. AS I say, the
people were a little discouraged by
this array of standpat talent, but still
hopeful.
Congress was called in extra ses-
sion to revise the Dingley law, which
had become thoroughly obnoxious.
The house organized by electing Mr..
Cannon speaker. He appointed a
| committee on ways and means-every
member a seasoned <tandpatter. The
trust agent, who wrote the Dingley
| bill, was called in again. Sen. Dolli-
yer said of him in speech delivered
in the senate Of the United States on
June Is last: This veteran expert
helped the Republican side of the com
mittee in 1897 in the daytime and
helped the Democratic side of the
committee at night. Uaughter.) He
was messenger between hostile
camps. He certified to the Republic
can members of the committee that
the sugar schedule did one thing and
certified to the Democratic members
that it did another. Instead of being
an expert, he was an employe and he
has come down now for nearly a gen.
GRAFTON dominating the proceedings of
congress, telling everybody what
ought to be done, relieving even the
great committee of their duty of in
vestigation, writing these laws and
representing to the American people
scandalOuS performance, such as I
have exposed on this floor here this
afternoon"
Recognizes Insurgents.
The bill prepared by this man was
in due time reported to the house. In
stead of being read by that body and
considered section by section, in the
committee of the whole, as is usual,
and as the rules require in case of
legislation of that character, a gag
rule was adopted cutting off all right
OF amendment. Permission was given
by private arrangement between the
speaker and Mr.. Payne that Mr.. Taw.
ney and two or three other of the
speakers henchmen might propose
amendments so as to square them.
selves with their constituents Mr..
TaWney offered an amendment to the
lumber schedule. But the standpat
element was in complete control and,
OF course, it was voted down. The
Democrats and a few independent
Republicans, Lindbergh, Volstead and
Davis of this state. and few others.
protested against the methods adopt
ed to railroad he bill through the
house without even having it read in
full, but to no purpose. Notice was
served on them from the White
House to return to the reservation"
and be good Indians or they would
have to go without the usual patron
age incident to the congressional posi-
ton.
In the senate, Sen. Aldrich of the
rubber trust took charge of the meas
ure as an engineer. The method pur-
sued in that body was essentially the
same as in the house, except that de.
bate could not be prevented and the
Democrats and several Republicans
who have since become known as in
surgents, fully explained the iniquities
Of the measure.
The president again came to the
rescue Of the standpatters and ST.
fenced the opposition to the bill as
much as possible. Patronage was his
argument. The bill was passed and
received the presidents approval.
That Winona Speech.
In his speech at Winona, the pree-
1dent pronounced 1t "the best tarltf
bill the Republican party ever passed"
and submitted large array of figures
and schedules in support of that state
ment. Sen. Dolliver, reviewing the
presidents claim, in speech in the
senate (June 49, showed that the
schedules and figures submitted by the
president at Winona were probably
prepared by the same party who pre-
pared the tariff bill. After analyzing
and exposing the misleading character
OF the figures submitted by the presi-
dent, Sen. Dolliver said, "Such an-an-
alysis of the Payne-Aldrich tariff,
schedule by schedule, and item by
item, together with careful dissec-
tlOn Of the Winona table prepared for
the purpose of proving that real and
substantial downward revision" had
been accomplished, would convince
anyone that so far as the public is
concerned, the tariff revision in fact
carries rates as high or higher than
the Dingley tariff law on most articles
OF general use in their finished con.
a 49, \ r "a 4 2