The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-20
THE PLAYING OF TAFT BY
 LA TOILETTE

(Continued from Page one.)
 erican people, almost entirely within the decade immediately preceding
 Those changes had wrought a revo- lution in the industrial and cOmmer- cial conditions of the country. The general business depression following the worldwide financial disturbances ! in the early nineties prepared the way for the enactment of the high tariff rates written in the Dingley law of 1897. The general suspension of bus mess, unemployed labor, curtailed pro- duction in manufacturing were all very generally charged to the lower duties of the Wilson tariff, and the way was open for advancing rates and raising the tariff wall against foreign importations. The avowed purpose of the Dingley law was to ex- clude foreign-made goods and give to American capital and American labor opportunity to supply the American market.
 MT. President I have always believ- ed that the statesmanship Of that time ought to have been wise enough to dis cern the gathering forces of trust consolidation, which were then clear ly manifest. Indeed, sir, the Ding- ley rates shut out, in so far as pos sible, foreign competition SeiZing upon this opportunity, manufacturing combinations of giant proportions inn mediately formed to suppress domes- tic competition. Within three years following the enactment of the Ding ley law 149 trusts were organized, with total stock and bond capital ization of $3,7S4, ,O00, 900. Four years la ter trust control had extended to s. S64 plants, with a total capitalization of $20, 379 100000. By January 1, 1908, the increase in trust consolida tion em- braced 10,220 plants, with outstanding stocks and bonds aggregating $31, ,672,- 100000 of paper capitalization.
 The Dingley law excluded foreign competition. The trusts strangled home competition. The American consumer was completely at the mer- ey of the over-protected manufastur- CTS of the country. Prices were ad- vanced. The cost of living increas- ed from 40 to 60. 70 and 80 per cent
 The demand for tariff revision was inevitable. It came from almost ev- cry home in the land. It was increas- ed in volume year by year preceding 1908. Congress was flooded with pe- titions. Republican county and State conventions adopted resolutions de- manding tariff revision. Session af- eonholed. In Congress after Congress the Committee on Ways and Means was organized to suppress every effort for revision of the Dingley law. The people demanded a reduction of duty The trusts resisted, and the answer of Congress to all appeals was, ''We stand pat on the present tariff. :"
 But, sir, by the year 1908 standpat Republicans we'll understood and op- enly admitted that tariff revision could no longer be resisted. Upon this subject the political situation was acute. Political nJanagers realized that no obscure generalization regard ing tariff revision would be safe. If the Republican Party was to succeed in the election of 1908, it was im- perative that it's platform should de- clare for tariff revision that would meet the demand in clear and specific terms. Mark what this platform said:
 "The Republican Party declares un- equivocably for the revision of the