Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-05-05
4 BIT OF TARIFF HISTORY.

In bis Boston interview Speaker
Cannon made point the other day
concerning the tariff and the Re-
publican party's pledge of downward
revisionI which the insurgents IN
their fervent zeal have appeared to
forget, but which goes to the very
heart Of the whole subject. The
point is neither new nor original,
but 1t is opposite and forcible at
this time when a congressional cam
palgn is impending in which for the
first time in years the principle OF
q protective tariff Is to be threshed
out again, Just as has been done per-
iodically ever since Its infancy as q
cardinal tenet of true Republicanism.
Sneaker Cannon recalled the fact In
his interview that he was serving
his eighteenth term, or thirtysix
years, in congress and that his only
defeat has been caused by his sup
port of Gear" Reed as speaker,
whose only offense consisted in ex-
ecutlng the will Of the Republican
majority in the house in effecting a
much-needed reform In carrying on
the business Of the house-in break
ing up the indefensible practice Of
fiIibustering and by his vote in
favor OF the protection Of the man
ufacture Of tin plate, which did not
exist at that time as an organized
industry in this country. 1t may be
remarked as to the first point that
"Czarp Cannon's only loffense-or
Cannonlsm, as the so-called offense
has been defIned-has consisted, like
"Czar" Reeds, in executing the will
Of the Republican majority-an
Overwhelming majority at that He
has done nothing upon his own ini-
tiatlve, and nothing at all which has
not been devised and has not re-
ceived the hearty sanction Of the Re-
publican majority in congress. Con-
sequently Cannonism simply means
that Republican speaker Of the
house is guilty Of an offense when
he executes the will of Republican
majority in congress. A more abb
suFd proposition could hardly be adj
yanced, for that is the purpose for
which a speaker is elected, viz, Of
carrying on the business Of the house
as interpreted in the will Of the ma
jority.
But to the point. Speaker Cam
non stated in his interviews: I'VE
provided a duty on cheap tin which
we did not make in the United States
at that time. Under that duty we
now make all the sheet tin In the
United States at q price from one
fourth TO one-thlrd less than we
had always paid when We depended
on the foreign makers for IT," The
Democrats made great sportsof this
fact at the time, pointing out the ABB
surdIty, as they termed It, Of pro-
vldIng a duty on an article which
was not even manufactured In the
United States. But that duty not
only relieved US Of our dependence
upon the foreign makers, but pro-
vided a protection which enabled
American manufacturers to make
the tin we needed at home at q less
price than the foreign-made article,
and also kept the money paid for
the labor Of making It at home7-in
the pockets Of American working
men. This ls the idea that goes to
the heart Of the principle Of a pro-
tective tariff, and II was the idea
that governed the deliberations Of
the Republican majority in congress
in revising the tariff in hte recent
session Of congress. Duties which
may appear high under existing eon-
ditlons would be very lOW-enurely
too low-lf we let down the bars to
the foreign Manufacturers - our
friends ane keen competitors IN
Enzlsnd, Germany and across he
canadian line. This lI the point
which he Insurgents seem 70 over
iook completely. They forge, that
true ana trisa friend Of tie AmsF-
ft.n people me President Tsit
would nol consent . ,hs ppnag' q