The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-08-04
lfIa6{fwork assigned to the approprI-

effect of existing schedules. In all |
tariff legislation the true principle of |
protection is best maintained by the
imposition of such duties as will equal
the difference between the cost of pro-
duction at home and abroad, together
with a reasonable profit to American
Industries. We favor the establish
ment of maximum rates to be admin
istered by the president under limita-
tions fixed in the laws, the maximum
to be available to meet determinations
by foreign countries against American
goods entering their markets, and the
minimum to represent the normal
measure of protection at home, the
aim and purpose of the Republican
policy being not only to preserve,
without excessive duties, that security
against foreign competition to which
American manufacturers, farmers and
producers are entitled, but also to
maintain the high standard of living
of the wage earners of this country,
who are the most direct benehciaries
of the protective system. Between the
United States and the Philippines we
believe in a free interchange of pro-
ducts with such limitations, as to
sugar and tobacco as will afford ade-
auate protection to domestic inter-
ests"
Upon this pledge, definition, and
rule we appealed to the country for
the election of a Republican presi-
dent and Republican congress. The
country, believing profoundly in main
tanning our own industries. and re-
posing implicit faith in the promise
that export duties would, in the re-
vision to take place, be measured by
the difference between the cost of
production at home and obroad, elect
ed q Republican president and a Re-
publican congress.
In redemption of the pledge so
made, the president convened the new
congress in special session, and 1t did
revise the tariff.
] have never been much interested
i'm the debate over the technical pro-
position that our promise was to re-
wise the tarln downward. Beyond
dispute, the people generally expected
that 1t would be revised downward,
because they knew that the duties
were too high. and were greatly more
than the difference between the cost
of production here and elsewhere.
What the Pledge Was.
But whatever may have been said
In the campaign, | agree that there
was no formal pledge in the platform
to revise the tariff downward
There was, however, pledge that
it should be revised SO that the duties
upon protected commodities should be
the difference between the cost of
producing them here and In other
countries, with a fair profit added,
and the intent, as everybody will con-
cede, was, that our manufacturers
should be able to enter our markets
and sell their products at q fair price
as against their foreign competitors:
and 1t was the further intent that
grossly excessive profits growing out
! of abnormal prices should be prevent
ed by reducing the duties to a point
that would admit importations when
ever our own manufacturers raised
their prices above the level of fair
ness and decency.
Such was the platform and such
| was the purpose that 1t became the
duty of congress to carry into effect.
| believe that the president wanted to
fulfill the promises of the party, and
to make good his own declarations;
but the-leaders of both the house and
the senate refused to recognize the
party pledge; refused to be guided by
the rule which had been announced. :.
and forced through congress a tariff
bill without even the pretense of at
tempting to ascertaoin, or of applying
Ixafl.a fnt Inn tIa uNn In,. st.l,
the party had established.
The bill made many reductions and
many increases-but the reductions
were of little or no avail for they left
| the duties still far above the differ
ence In cost of production, and there
fore permits the protected manufac-
| turers not only to charge existing
| prices, but to lift them still higher,
| and the increases were, in nearly ev-
cry instance, not only without reason
in fact, but without defense in de-
| bate.
Some Republicans, having done all
| they could to make the bill what 1t
| should have been, finally voted for 1t,
and | have no word of censure for
them, for they did what they believed
to be their duty Some of us voted
against the bill, and we make no apol-
ogy for our votes.
Open Reputation of Pledges.
If there had been an honest at
tempt to fix duties according to the
cost of production ! might have
yielded my view on the question of
fact; but there was no such attempt,
and /, for one, refused to follow, and
would refuse again to follow Aldrich,
Hale Lodge Cannon, Payne and Dali
zell into a sneering, contemptuous
open reputation of my party plat
form.
1t is not a republican measure, al
though passed by republican votes
for the men who are chiefly resopn-
sible for II thought more of swelling
the overgrown fortunes of their in
innate friends than they thought Of
the party principles, the party pledge
or the welfare of a long suffering
people.
1t is said that the law has been
successful from revenue standpoint
This Is quite true; but 1t must be
remembered that II Is very easy to
enlarge the receipts at the custom