Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1912-03-01
REVISION MUST COME
PROJECTIONS "ClTADEL" SURE
LY FATED TO FALL.
Privileged Woolen Industry earons to
Be Compelled 10 Loosen Their
Grip on the Peoples Purse
Democrats Ready to Act.

Sacrosanct ekedule K-the very
citadel OF protection" as Senator
Aldrich characterized Il; the woolen
schedule In the nomenclature Of the
plain and unprivilcgCd body OF the
American peoples TO be revised at
last.
President Taft has advised revision,
the Democratic house Is eager for N
and the Republican senate will hardly
dare to resist. The Republican situa-
ton, in the face Of q national cam
paign, already is desperate; for the
Republican majority In the senate
now to act against the advice Of the
president would be to place the party
In the plight Of utter despair.
So the citadel" must fall. That
may be taken as certain. The only
question to be decided Is the terms
upon which the privileged woolen in
dustry barons. who have SO long held
the fort, shall surrender Both Presi.
dent Taft and his tariff board are
silent on that point The president
says that Is a matter for congress to-
decide. SO 1t is. But Is the president
entirely sincere In giving that as a
reason why both he and his tariff
board carefully refralned from max
ing any suggestion on the subject :?
Most people, we think, will be more
apt to take the view that In leaving
the matter Of the amount of reduction
to congress. free of any suggestion
from either himself or his tariff ex-
perts. Mr.. Taft was actuated by the
same sense of political advantage
which prompted his endeavor to take
from the Democratic house the credit
for the abrogauon OF the Russian
treaty.
Mr.. Taft undoub 'edly would like
the credit Of revising the tariff to go
to himself and his party. and all com
plants and criticism for the manner
Of its revision to be laid at the door
Of Democracy.
We imagine the discernment by the
Democrats Of the presidential purpose
will bring forth during the house de-
bate many a reference to the speech
which made Winona famous, but put
a large blot on the fame Of President
Taft, as well as q blight upon his
prospects.
The presidential message urging re-
vision was somewhat extravagant In
Its praise OF the tariff board and It's
work. But then much applause was
needed TO ceaden the din all over the
country provoked by the delay for
which President Taft wss responsible.
Appreciation for the experts was real
ly the disguise OF self.justi6cation.
The president in his message trans
mitting the report Of the tariff board
says "The duties on many classes
Of wool manufacture are prohibitory
and greatly In excess Of the differ
ence In the cost Of production here
and abroad"
To the extent to which the duties
exceeded the cost of production
abroad the domestic manufacturers
had an opportunity to practice extor-
ton. and did so. But the graft was
SO good" to use an expressive COLO
quialism. that the wooden manufac-
turers were never able to rob the con-
sumers Of the United States up to
the full limit OF the license given
them by the Republican tariff makers
because Of the competition which en-
sued among them to grab the legal.
,sed loot.-Chlcago American.