The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-09-14

The chief guest and spsAhSt =
the day" at 4 big gathering Of Massa-
chusetts democrats in Boston last
saturday was Governor Harmon, Of
Ohio. An open air barbecue had
been planned but a sudden down pour
of rain interferred with the arrange
ment and the crowd repaired to Fan
euil Hall. where the speech-maKng
occurred. Governor Harmon proved
o be a pleasing speaker and what he
had to say was received with tremen-
derous applause, especially when a
strong point against the republicans
attracted attention. The Ohio execu-
tive attacked President Taft's att1-
tude toward tariff reform in no I'M
certain terms, saying among other.
things:
"He needed no commissioners when
he promised a general reduction be-,
fore his election, nor when he called
the special session to keep the prom
Use, nor when he signed the bill that
broke the promise. nor when he con-
fessed that the wooden and cotton
duties were too high, G when he
made the agreement with Canada
His position is simply that those who
by trfckery of tariff making have Sc
cured a license to impose e~xorbitant
prices on the American people shall
go on doing it, in spite of the action
of both Houses of Congress, until
five men who are not responsible to
the people, nor even experts, shall
advise him how much these favor
49, - AA nN1aInnI 0nd hnUY
to do it scientifically. He admits
they are too high or these absolute
and universal necessities of life, but
he fears these bills may have Gu
them too much. All the men, women
and children in the land must ccntin-
ue to suffer and admitted wrong
which affects health and comfort
rather than run any risk of causing
too much shrinkage in profits made
excessive by law. The people must
not even have the benefit of the doubt.
If the present tariff charges had
Heen fixed merely without proper
knowledge and skill it could well be
said that an 'unscientiic' remedy is
good enough for an unscientific
wrong especially when those who APP
ply the remedy have the advantage
of dealing with actual preSults while
those who did the wrong acted only
on conjecture. But the Payne-Ald-
rich-Smoct law had a far worse sire
than ignorance. And it is a reflec-
tom on our plan of government to
say that the fragrant ~iniquities of that
law shall go on defying good sence.
commcl knowledge and honest pur-
pose until a commission without leg
al responsibility or authority shall
decide how the duly chosen law max.
inb body may deal with them.
81 believe in the veto power. But
il is to be employed .cElS on the clear
and positive c. .sallk t1e cZecu-
tive that thu C 1T est so Le-
quires. He = 10y Il ,3a days to
consider and dec4ac. i remains
in doubt at the end of that time ac-
ton IN his part is dispensed with and
the Judgment of the legislative belly
becomes effective without it. Fer the
President to defeat the action Of Con-
gress, especially vixen it follows the
plain mandate of the country, merely
BECAUSE he is not certain about it
himself and wants to- wait for ome
body else to advise Aim, is a new and
perilous departure from the wise de-
sign of the constitution.
I'VE have had tariff commission be-
FIRE but none of them ever accom-
plished anything but delay. And if
time is money it certainly is tc the
b-eneiciaries of a favor tariff. The
consumers of the country were
titled to at least partial immediate re-
lief. This Congress gave and the
President took away. His tenderness
was all for a few who profit by the
present excessive rates. He harden
ed his heart to the multitude who are
compelled to pay the ~exorbitant prices
which include them"
Not contented with calling the ma
jority in Congress unscientific, incom-
petent and ignorant" continued Gov.
Harmon, though in his vetoes he did
so in parliamentary phrase, the Pres
ident now, in public speeches. charg-
es them with ~insfncerity, employing
the ruder language of the stump. He