Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-08-31
SPECIAL WASHINGTON
REsPoNDENcE.
By Clyde H. Tavenner.

SPECIAL WASHINGTON COR.
REsPoNpENcE.
BY Clyde H. Tavenner.
President Taft Is advising Republi-
can candidates for Congress to prom
ise the people further tariff revision.
schedule by schedule, the basis of the
revision to be equalization of the
labor cost Of production at home and
abroad plus reasonable profit for
American manufacturers
The platform on which Mr.. Taft
was elected, it is recalled, also
promised to equalize "the difference
in the cost Of production at home
and abroad" plus reasonable profit.
Before considering new promises,
many voters will ask: Was the first
promise kept? Let us see:
Taking woolens to begin with, Pres
ldent Taft himself admits failure.
What about cottons? Was the
cotton schedule revised on the basis
of equalization of 1.-THE difference in
the cost of production at home and
abroad?
Platform Promise Ignored.
The labor cost in the production of
cotton manufactures in the United
States is % per cent. (From report
of Carroll D. Wright, U. S. Commits
sioner Of Labor, Vol. 100
Granting that foreign goods have
no labor cost whatever, 26 per cent.
would, therefore, have been the max
lmm average rate required to equal.
re the labor cost of production at
home and abroad. II the labor cost
abroad is one.half the labor cost at
home. the rate of tariff required to
prevent the foreign manufacturer
from having the advantage OF cheap
er labor would be 26 per cent, the
American cost. less 10 per cent, the
European cost. or 13 per cent, In
stead of an equalizing duty of any
sort. the Aedrich crowd protected cot
ton manufacturers with d duty of
from 35 per cent on handkerchief to
"a per cent. on cotton cloths.
Downward Revision Promised.
Promise OF tariff revision DOWN
ward on the basis of equalization Of
cost OF production at home and
abroad plus a reasonable profit was
equal to promise OF a big revision
downward.
Mr.. Taft. however. affixed his sig
nature to tariff bill which revised
the existing tariff upward on an aver.
age of approximately III per cent.
Because of the failure OF the Presi-
dent to make his promise good, 3d.
100000 people are forced to stand a
further increase in the cost Of living.
piverting Attention.
The Observation-Disclosures side.
show in New York has taken on a
resemblance to three-shell game
just at the moment the public thinks
1t understands the situation, and be
gins to feel sure that Roosevelt will
indorse Taft or that he will refuse ITO
indorse him, the men managing the
show bring forth a new interview
which as much as says to the public:
You see you were wrong again: the
pea wasn't under that she'll at all
Guess again!"
The question has been raised In
some quarters as to whether the
Republican campaign managers are
not endeayoring to divert attentio,
from the more Important issues o
the campaign.
j The real ISSUE it is being pointet
out is not whether Roos evelt is o.
| is not with Taft Far more import
ant are the answers to the following;
/ l. Why did President Taft cooper
ate with Aldrich, Smoot, Lodge, Gug
| genheim and other senators repre-
senting the special intLssts, and re
fuse the counsel of men like LaFol
lette and Clapp?
u 2. Why did Mr.. Taft continue t
eulogize Ballinger after lie had beef
exposed and discredited in testimon,
taken by committee Of the Senate
8. Why did Mr.. Taft interfere t,
prevent Speaker Cannon from bein,
dethroned?
4. Why did Mr.. Taft as candidat,
promise tariff revision down, and a.
President sign bill revising the tar
iii upward?
5. Why Dis the President seeking 81
industriously to bring about the de
feat Of LaFollette? Is it because La
Toilette sought to regulate the raj
roads or because he favored rea
downward revision?
IL A Campaign canard.
:, Taft will no longer cooperate wit
, Cannon, Aldrich, and Ballinger is t
be retired"
This is the gist OF statements cat
ried by the Associated Press, and oh
a viously inspired by Republican cam
paign managers.
Il The information may be accepted a
nothing more than ruse. The Re
publican campaign managers playe
, the same trick on the public in tn
last Presidential election. The run
, or was quietly started that Candidat
Taft did notFapprove of Speaker Can
!. non. The inference was strong tina
Taft would not stand for Cannon a
speaker. This false rumor unmistal
ably helped Taft In the insurgent dis
tricts.
Immediately after Taft was inaue