The Irish standard., 1910-05-28
KEEP THE PARTY PROMISE /
Reduce the Tariff for the People Who
Produce the Wealth--Reduce the
Cost of Living For Those Who
Produce the Goods.
[Article from the New York Post by William washburn


President Taft's recent talk to Min
nesota republicans, comes as dis
tinct shock to the people of Mime
sofa and of the adjoining states which
hold similar opinions upon the tariff.
The president states in set terms
that it is the best tariff bill the re-
publican party has ever passed. His
speech hardly holds forth any shred
of promise that the party is to make
q real revision of the tariff in favor
of the consumer. In fact, he states
that the tariff should not be altered
in the present or the next congress.
He also gives very strong intima-
ton that adherence to the principles
of the present tariff law must here
after be taken as the test of party
loyalty.
This statement is made in COM
monwealth which sent it's entire dele
cation of two republican senators and
nine republican congressman to con-
gress, with a direct mandate that they
were to attempt the substantial re-
duction Of the tariff in compliance
with the promise of the party plat
form.
That the representatives of Mime
sofa and adjoining states were wrong,
and that they should be open to either
rebuke or defeat is abhorrent to ev-
cry feeling of justice and fairness.
On the contrary, the people of Min
nesota retain entire confidence in
these representatives, and will con-
tinue to give them their support until
much better reasons are advanced
than any that have appeared up to
the present date.
The Tariff Promise.
TO the plain man, the support of
the present tariff as a test of loyalty
seems incongruous and impossible.
The tariff plank of the party stated
fatty that the tariff was to be revised
In the past campaign, every promi-
nent republican leader stated specin-
cally that the tariff was to be revised
downward, and that such revision was
to be made, upon the great list of ar
ticles consumed by the plain people,
It, was also stated that this time the
tariff revision was to be honest and
real, and that the party pledge was
to be carried out
No large body of republican voters
In Minnesota or the adjoining states
either wished or asked for radical
reduction that would impair the sys-
tenn of legitimate protection They
only asked and voted for reduction
that would do something to reduce
the constantly increasing price of ar
ticles that make up the cost of liv-
ing among ordinary people.
They did vote for a revision that
would reduce the price of wooden and
cotton clothing and food, and the doz-
ems of things upon which the wages
of plain, ordinary people are ex-
pended in supporting their families
upon fair stand of living.
This they were certainly promised
by the president, and by the party
platform, and it is not known that
anyone denies this fact.
That they really got this, or any
thing family resembling it, is not
claimed either by the president or by
the party leaders who passed this
bill.
From a republican congress, elected
solely upon the issue of downward re-
vision, issues forth this tariff crea-
ture that is neither fish, flesh nor fowl.
It is hodge podge Of disassociated
and dissimilar fragments apparently
thrown together as the result of long
continued and sinister trades upon the
part of the senate conference COM
mittee, which contained no single
member in favor of real revision.
- 40 hCiShS1 opCIl ilOI uOlkSSI UOr
fair. It smells all over of trades and
barters and juggles and deceits. To
call the acceptance of this tariff a
party or public duty is an affront
to common sense.
The Tariff Schedules.
Stripped of all subterfuge, the tar
atff as affecting the necessities OF life
used by plain people has apparently
remained the same, or it has actually
been advanced. The president states
that none but an expert can under
stand the tariff schedule DIR. Shaw
of the Review of Reviews is an eex-
pert on this subject and his views will
be accepted as final by large part
of the reading public in the west.
81 In the September number of his
journal it is stated fatty that the tar
tff on many necessities had not been
reduced, but has in fact been gener-
AlIvg advanced Tn manv oosoo ,,,I,ooo