The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-08-04


We have revised the tariff In re-
sponse to an overpowering republic
can sentiment and have succeeded in
taking off about one-forty-second Of
the average imposition upon duti-
able goods
In all that has been said by those
who have, during the last year, de-
Tended the measure there has been
no claim that we either fixed or tried
to fix, the duties according to the
cost of production, and yet that Is
the test, and the only test, by which
the act should be tried II we have
any regard for our plighted word.
do not intend to review its sched-
ules upon this occasion. ] have done
that in another and more appro-
pirate forum, and expect to do it
again when the time comes. 1t Is
no pleasure for me to differ from
some of my party associates upon
this subject; but there is no exigency
in public affairs or party action that
can induce me to say that a thing
is good when / believe It to be bad,
or to say that it is true when
believe 1t to be false.
There are many gratifying reducta
ions in the Payne-Aldrich act but
| upon the whole It is not fair ex-
| emplification of the protective policy.
| nor is it an honest performance OF
our platform promise, and no matter
| what happens I will tell the truth.
| as ! see the truth, about IL.
Let me, however, again warn re-
YN,,h x.yhN -
thinking concerning the shortcom-
ings of this measure that the fail.
ure of the republican leaders in con.
| gress to abide by our platform furn-
ishes no reason for delivering this
country into the hands of the DEM
ocrats.
The one thing that can be said
in favor of our recent revision Is
that IL is vastly better than any tar
iff which the democrats could enact
founded upon the exploded theory of
levying duties for revenue only. It
would be fatal to commit this coun-
.try to any such doctrine, and I
know that republicans have too much
patriotism and too much intelligence
to punish a mistake in leadership
by depriving our party of power, and
turning over the government to q
political organization which holds a
view of the constitution that would
| paralyZe our efforts in dealing with
the modern problems of commerce,
industry and transportation, and
which hold view of the tariff that
II put into execution would bring
us universal disaster.
Wipe Out the Blot.
The logical, sensible thing to do ID
to correct our mistakes-none but re-
publicans can correct it-and under
the impulse of the sentiment, grow
ing now by leaps and bounds every
where, they will correct it and leave
the republican name and republican
pledge without a stain In all its won-
derful history.
Our course, 1t seems to me, Is set
plainly before us. / do not favor an
immedia:e general revision of the
tariff, indeed 1 earnestly hope that
we may never be compelled to enter
upon another general readjustment of
the system.
In our last attempt 1t was made
clearer lhan before, first, that some
better way must be found than we
now have of securing information as
to cost here and abroad; and second,
that we must amend the schedules
separately. As to the first, the way
viii be found in the creation of an
Independent, nonpartisan tariff COM
mission. not to change the law, for
that is, and must remain the work
of congress; but to collect and lay
before congress and before the peo-
pie the facts.
When this is done there will be
neither high tariff man nor low tariff
man VINO Will venture to disregard his
duty. Fortunately, the demand for
such a commission has become almost
unanimous among republicans. and
the few who still oppose 1t will soon
disappear from public life.
| We have already made a good be-
ginning 1r under the strong and per
sistent Recommendation of the presi-
dent, congress gave him an appropria-
tion which he will use insofar as he
has the power to do 1t, to get the in
|
understanding OF the subject. The pro
vision Is inadequate, but It gives us
hope that before long We will be able
to establish a commission with full
powers and complete equipment.
As to the second, we must insist up
on a law. or rule of congress that
VIII allow one schedule to be amended
or revised without going the whole
range of the tariff We must exclude
the opportunity for the trades and
combinations which now dishonor
tariff legislation We must make It
impossible to co rec or bribe a MEM
ber of congress into voting for what
he knows to be wrong in order to get
what he believes to be right.
Happily the movement for such
rule or law is steadily advancing. and
1t will not be long until It oo,win
embrace every republican In the land.
These evidences of progress cheer the
heart of every patriot. We may stand
L