Mexico weekly ledger., 1912-12-26
SPEAKER CLARK AND

opeclal Wdbnih6toh N0hgFEpVuu9hcvl
Washington, Dec. 2s.
There is one way, and, one way
cnly, for the Democrats to remain in
power; by giving the people after
election what they promised before
election. The people don't want ex-
cuses; they want deeds"
This is Speaker Champ Clark's idea
OF what the Democratic party must
do to make good and to be retained
in power.
III there is anything l believe In
strongly" said Mr.. Clark, 1T is that
promises made to win an election
should be religlously carried out af-
ter the election Is won.
/" Men should say what they mean
and mean what they say; and they
should speak the plain language Of
the plain people 50 that all may un-
derstand. The voters Of the land
have a right to be treated honestly.
candidly, fairly and courageously.
They are entitled to that square deal
cf which we hear SO much and see
SO little.
Robert ]. Walkers report on the
tariff remains to this day the great
est paper on that subject. In 1t he
laid down this general principle.
"The highest rates should be on lux
uries; the lowest or none at all on
the necessities Of life" That should
be the basis OF our revision of the
tariff to which we are solemnly COIN
mitted
"The rates should be arranged so
as to produce the maximum of rev.
enue. while taking from the ultimate
consumers the minimum of money
in the shape Of tariff taxes, That
statement may appear paradoxical,
but what 1t proposes is perfectly feas
ible. There is maximum revenue
producing tariff rate on each particu-
lar item which can be ascertained,
and which should be ascertained. The
moment the rate on any article goes
above the maximum revenueproduc-
ing rate the revenue begins to fall
eff, and the more the rate is in
creased the more the revenue dwin-
dies until 1t disappears entirely. and
1.-THE rate becomes prohibitiye.
''such is the case with blankets .
feet long, worth not over forty
cents per pound, an article of prime
necessity on which the compound
specific and ad yalorem amounts to
a tariff tax of between t65 and 1872
10 per cent. -
| without going into wearisome de-
tails, it is safe to say that three
fourths of all the tariff rates OF the
rayne-Aldrich -Smoot tariff bill are
above themaximum revenue-producini
rates and should be reduced at least
to competitive point.
"The truth is that the words "a cor
lpetitive tariff are more easily un
derstood than the words "a tariff fol
, revenue only "A competitive tariff
rs one which would give Americans
, the American market so long a
I, they sell at fair prices, bu
wouji let in foreign products
, americans undertake to goug
americans "a competitive tariff
would in practice be "a tariff fo
: revenue The revenue can be Ii
4 creased more frequently by reducin
S rates than by increasing them.
THE present tariff, II thorough
oyerhauled, could be made to pr
duce a great deal more revenue an
" at the same time not cost the Ia
a. payers one .th of what they no
pay. for uneer the present syste
le where one dollar goes into the fedel
O. treasury four or five dollars go in
ay the pockets Of the tariff barors.
o. The rates in a new bill or ne
% bills should be fully as low
the rates in the bills which we pass
during this congress, andin some cs
nd es lower
X. "All the talk about the Deniocra
wanting to injure business is abs
'utely preposterous.
lty What We want to do is to 81
az every man an equal opportunity
IT. the race of life, and not pamper
few at the expense Of many. I'll
plan would foster every legitimate
I'D dustry in the land and injure mol
nc That is one way in which congrt
u.s. can aid in reducing the exceeding
ex- nigh cost OF living, which is rea
the most pressing, vexations, a
important problem with which
ces have to deal. What the people
'cil mand is cheaper food, cheaper clio
IL ing, cheaper necessaries Of life g
orally, and any cuts in tariff ra
which do not accomplish that
uis not worth the trouble and labor
making.