Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-30
Speaker of the House
Opens Democratic Cam
paign in Maine.
TARIFF THE QUESTION
Wilson Platform Gives Promises
of Relief That Will Be
Fulfilled.

ANSNsAAeANa
Champ Clark. made his opening
speech in the Maine campaign here
last night. confning his address to
the tarifi. He said In part:
History demonstrates beyond all
question the fact that in a country
whose institutions are based on suf-
frage the government will be a gov
ernment by parties, OF as Mr.. Speaker
Cannon Is fond OF putting it. by ma
Jorities.' II does not make a particle
OF difference whether we want 1t that
way or not; that is the way 1t is and
the way IL always will be.
AT the present time at least FIVE
parties are in the field with candi-
dates for the presidency. Each OF
these parties has formulated and pub
llshed a platform OF principles which
Il proposes TO enact into law II It gets
a chance.
WHAT rs A PLATFORMF
What is a platform anyway II
ought TO be a plain and honest state
ment OF what those who make 1t In
tend 10 do II they are given the power
OF legislation. II ought to be, not
merely a contrivance 10 get 1t on,
but a thing to stand on after the vic
tory is won. II ought to be not mere
" a device TO use during the cam
paign for the purpose OF catching
votes, but should set forth the serious
intentions of it's trainers.
"Pledges made TO win an election
should be religiously carried out aft
or the election. That is the only ruie
OF political conduct that VIII do 10
live by or TO die by. There Is no
reason why a man should be dishon'
est and q double-dealer in politics any
more than In the other relations oi
life.
while the platform discuss and re
fer 70 a multitude OF things, some oi
great importance. all of more or lest
importance. the American public II
formed on such a plan that 1t VIII no'
seriously consider more than one ol
two issues simultaneously.
ONE GREAT QUESTION.
Both Governor Wilson and Presi
dent Taft in their speeches OF accept
ance have made the tariff their chic
topic Of thought in the minds OF thu
voters OF the land. Colonel Roose
Welt in his speeches also attaches
great Importance TO the subject, AM
has n plan OF his own for handling II
All men are agreed that 1t is ques
tion OF great importance TO every hu
man living under the flag.
Barring for the present Colone
Roosevelt's scheme OF settlement tn
position of the two great parties ma,
be succinctly stated In this way
The democrats are In favor OF tai
m for revenue only; the republican
are in favor OF tariff for protection
Upon this question the platforms ar
explicit. In the tariff plank OF all tn
democratic platforms the idea Of rev
enue only has been found. not alway
expressed in the same language, bu
always expressing the same ideS
Likewise. the republican platforms a
declare for a protective tariff.
RATES TOO HIGH.
1T will be observed that both pla
forms declare that the present tart
rates are too high. and ought TO b
reduced. but II the taxpayers reall
want the tariff reduced. they had be
ter remember what happened in yer
recent times. In 1905 the republ
cans promised TO revise the tart
downward. On that promise the
won. Without that promise they coul
not have won. But having won, Fl
stead OF reducing the tariff rates q
they had promised to do, they pr,
ceeded TO increase them. and becaus
they increased them contrary to the
promise. at the election in 1910 the pc
pie elected q democratic house Of re
resentatives.
The democratic house. proceede
with as much expedition as possib
under the circumstances to pass ce
tain tariff bills. which would have T
duced the amount OF money extracts
from the peoples pockets by the tar
laws by something approximate
t5OoOOoOoO yearly. and at the san
time would have provided ample re
enue 10 run the government. for
should never be forgotten that whe
Uncle sam gets one dollar out OF u
tarif system the taritf barons get
least ave. BY doing so the democra
kept the faith OF the people.
Will. PROTECT BUSINESS.
In this contest. remembering the
things. which one Of the two parti
will the taxpayer believe intends
carry out its promises made in
platforms this year to reduce the u
if?, VIII the taxpayers believe q