The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-18
Six Men, Volunteers, Planned
Chicago Convention.
Every Move, Even Chairs Rul-
ings, Planned in Advance.
SEN. LA TOILETTE STOPPED IT
Otherwise Roosevelt Might
Have Addressed Delegates.
Republicans Adopt New De-
tense for Protective Tariff.

New York. July 1s.-Business men OF
this CITY speedily identified two planks
In the Republican national platform as
embodiments of political principles of
greater Importance to business inter
ests than any OF the other formula
lions of Republican principles contain
ed in the platform 1t was observed
immediately after the Republican plat
form was adopted that discussion In
some business circles in this city CEN
tered on the tariff plank and also upon
the plank which recommends that CON
gress specifically define by law what
the offences which the Sherman la"
forbids really are so that honest pusl-
ness can adjust itself to the law.
Some of the New York delegates tc
the Chicago convention have been askeo
since their return by their business
friends in New York to explain how
the tariff plank came to be written as
1t now stands in the platform.
The business men have been inform
ed that the tariff plank was written
and rewritten many times before there
was agreement upon it. 1t was tht
unanimous opinion of those who were
asked to prepare informally a tarlh
plank that it was vital to ignore OF
set aside the tariff plank In the Re-
publican national platform OF 1Sue-
this weakness of the proposition that
a protective tariff could be justlheo
if its mates provided the means py
which the differences in the cost OF
production between the cost in the
limited States and that of the other
commercial countries of the world were
covered by the tariff schedules.
Probably for the first time in the
history of the Republican party 1t was
confessed that it is impossible to Cd,
tain any reliable figures which would
show the difference in the cost OF pro-
duction between that which prevails
in the United States and that which
prevails in other countries Ana II
there were no other consideration, the
mere fact that it would be necessary
TO obtain information upon this point
not only from Great Britain but from
every other commercial nation and Sc
far as some articles are concerned
even from China. of itself proves that
the proposition was impracdcabIe. YET
it has been the standard defense fo1
MANY wears made by Republican lead
ers who advocated a protective tariff
1t Was Abandoned.
There was agreement at Chicago that
this proposition should be abandoned;
but what was to take the place OF II
~ protection was to be defended? Lit
tie nv little there was a meeting Of
minds of those who were preparing this
rlank until at last it was agreed &c
defend the protective principle on the
ground that it is vital for the main
tenance of the high standard of LIVING
which prevails in the United states IN
comparison to other countries
Even Mckinley, in his first admins
tration, it was known to few OF MS
friends began to realize that to de-
fend the protective principle it is only
necessary to assert that it is vital tC
the maintenance of the high standard OF
living in the United States. A decIar-
alton of that kind in the Repubhcan
platform would, it was felt, raise
clear. honorable and fair issue WHO
the Democratic party which presuma-
blx would declare in favor of a tariff
for revenue
some of our business men think that
this statement of the real meaning of a
protective tariff now for the first time
formulated in a Republican platform is,
on the whole, so far as business in
terests are concerned, the best feature
of that platform.
SuppIementing the Sherman Law.
The Republican platform makers al
Chicago gave many hours of careful
consideration to a subject which they
believed, vitality concerned all the bus
iness interests of the United States
namely, What is and what is not
violation of the Sherman law even
under the Interpretation of the supreme
Csourt in the Standard Oil and the To
bacco company cases? ~ 1t was known
that there are thousands of business
men of the United States who to this
day do not know whether they are
within or are outside of the Sherman
law in the conduct of their business.
The feeling among business men has
been very strong that congress would
greatly serve the business interests of
the United States if it were to sup
ulement the Sherman law by a statute
precisely defining how business may be
cd nd iaI1 T1nV
the large combinations of capital or
what is called big business" may ad-
Just itself to the intent of the Sher-
man law.
The presumption at Chicago was
that the Democratic party in its plat
form would urge amendments to the
Sherman law which would make it
more drastic, which might, in fact,
tend to prohibit. any large combina-
lions of capital.
The Political Tactics.
Our business men were told by dele
gates who have returned to New York
that in all probability no previous ma
tiOnaI convention from the point OF
view of political tactics and strategy
was handled with such consummate
skill and with such perfect artisanship
of politics as was the recent Repu blican
convention, by the delegates who were
in opposition to Colonel Roosevelt.
At Chicago very little of the inside
work done became of public
knowledge IL Was uCGCSSStIlly
tive. That was a part of the strategy
of these political leaders. A day be-
fore the convention organized sort
of voluntary committee was spontan-
eously created, and yet by common or
tacit consent, consisting of eight dele
gates. Six of these were United States
senators-Root of New York, Smoot,
of Utah, Penrose of Pennsylvania,
Iippett, of Rhode Island, Crane. of
Massachusetts, and Sanders, of Tennes-
see. j. E. watson, of Indiana, who was
the floor leader of the Taft delegates,
and DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler were
the two other members of this com
Ynittee, All of these are master work