The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1911-09-19
Washington New
Items Of Interest From Our cor
respondent, George w.
Summers.

washington, september II -
"Stand-Pat" Republicans, WI
were inclined to laugh at tie
eiTronty of the "Insurgent" Re-
publicans opening headquartel $
in Washington to foster the
movement for Progressive"
legislation and the nomination of
Progressive" candidates by the
Republicans. have ceased to rid
icule the movement and are look
ing upon it in all seriousness
now.
1t is conceded that the Prog
ressive" Republicans will con-
troll the delegations from a suffi-
cient number of States to prevent
anything like the unanimous
nomination of President Taft to
succeed himself, an there is a
possibility that the Progress
ives" may control the situation
and nominate Senator LaFollette
or some other good Progress
i've" for the Presidency over Mr..
Taft's head. Unquestionably a
number of the northwestern
States will send anti-Taft dele
cations to the next Republican
national convention, and it is
even looked upon in Washington
as possible that West Virginia,
tired Of being ruled by the Scott
and Mathews machine, will send
a LaFollette delegation to the
next convention and repudiate
the Presidents vetoes of all the
tariff reduction bills passed by
the Democrats with the assist
ance of those Republicans who
believe in reducing the cost of
living and givi G to the people
the benefit of the tariff laws
rather than to the trusts.
West Virginia has hitherto
been heralded by the old Elkins
and Scott machine as a 'protec-
ton State" From one end of
the country to the other West
Virginia is looked upon, or rath-
er has been looked upon as
friend of protection and certain
to stand for the highest protec-
ton against anv effort to reduce
the duties. And this estimate
of the State has not been with
out cause. for in the last sixteen
years West Virginia has been
represented in Congress practic
ally all the time by a set of the
highest protectionists which
could be found in the United
States. Senator Aldrich him
self is no higher protectionist
than is Nathan B. Scott or Jo-
seph Holt Gaines. In the face of
the nationwide protest against
high tariff they have not hesit2-
ted to proclaim themselves
"Stand-Patters" on the tariff
and opposed to any reduction in
existing duties. Because such
men have been kept in office
from West Virginia for so many
years, it is natural that the
word should have gone out that
West Virginia is a protection
State. and that the people them
selves should rather believe it to
be so.
Views on the tariff are largely
aft, cted by self-interest, and the
manufacturers who can get
higher price for their products
under the provisions of a pro-
tective tariff than under a low
er rate of duties are natural
protectionists. Senator Scott,
largely interested in the manu-
facture of glassware, appealed
to the Senate of the United
States with tears in his eyes not
to reduce the duty on glassware
50 his companies would have to
sell as cheap as the people could
buy elsewhere if the duties were
removed.
Look at West Virginia's inter
est from a selfish standpoint.
West Virginia is producer of
coil. lumber, cattle and agricul-
tural products and a comparative
~ small quantity Of manufacture
cd goods. How does protection
affect the State?
Probably more heavily inter-
ested in the production Of coal
than any other MN in the Unit.
ed States, senator Watson GER
tainIv ought 10 know what ycuId