The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1910-06-24
the PARTY PLEDGE
TARIFF REVISION DOWNWARD
NOT IN PLATFORM.

The pledge Of the Republican party
In 1905 was not a revision of the
tariff downward, as Democratic lead.
ers claim, but for "a revision of the
tariff by a special session of Con-
gress following the Inauguration Of
the text President" The words
downward" and upward" were not
used in the platform, nor n equiva.
lent word. The platform declared
that lin all tariff legislation the true
principle of protection Is best main
tanned by the imposition of such du-
ties as will equal the difference be.
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad, together with a reason.
able profit to American industries
The pledge of revision was re-
deemed by a special session of Con.
gress called by a Republican Presi-
lent and controlled by a Republican
majority. In that session certain Re-
publican members of the House and
Senate stood for a radical revision of
tariff schedules downward and Sc.
cured reductions in a number of
schedules affecting those sections of
the country for which they spoke; a
large number of such members stood
for the existing, and, in some cases,
higher rates on articles in the manu-
facture or importation of which their
constituents were vitality interested,
while the Democratic members and
Senators stood for a general breaking
down of the wall of protection Re-
publicanS have erected and main
tanned for the safety of American i'm
dustries and commerce. Some of the
Democratic Senators stood with the
Republicans in defending tariff sched-
ule under which the interests Of
Southern agriculturists and manufac.
turers are protected and greatly ben
Gifted.
One distinct pledge of the Republi-
cans concerning tariff rates was the
establishment by law of maximum
and minimum rates to be admins
tered by the President, the MAXI
mum to be available to meet discrim.
nations by foreign countries against
American goods entering their mar
kets and the minimum to represent |
the normal measure of protection at
home, the aim and purpose of the Re-
publican policy being not only to
preserve, without excessive duties,
that security against foreign compe-
tition to which American manufac-
turers, farmers and producers are en-.
Tit1pH hiIt o1Sn RI poaintnip. Tho b;~l-
standard of living of the wage earn
ers of this country, who are the most
beneficiaries of the protective
system" That pledge was faithfully
kept and under the new tariff law
our country has, through the power
vested in the President, a superlative
advantage over countries seeking to
against American goods
in fixing their tariff rates. If any
country offers special favors to the
manufactures and products of a IA
vored nation or dependency we can
shut the goods of that country out of
this, the best market in the world;
and we can also encourage commerce
with friendly nations.
The rates fixed by Congress were
determined by the majority party.
every member of which was under
obligation, as a representative Repub-
|ican, to sustain the final conclusion
Of his party in the matter of tariff
rates; and that same majority party,
Il it controls the next Congress, will
have the disposition, the opportunity
and the unquestioned authority to
such changes in the tariff as ex
o%erience under the present law may
suggest; while Democrats, if they
the House, can only make
such changes as a Republican Senate
a Republican President may be
Wiling to approve. What advantage,
hen, will a Democratic House have
n dealing with the tariff question?