The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-30

/ though, as stated in the article un-
der review.
Colonel Roosevelt came into Of
flee just after his party had install
led new tariff system, and it was
not to be expected, nor was it the
demand of the country, that the
tariff system should be ripped up
ragain under the old fashion of gen.
eral revision. Besides, there was his
obligation to carry out the McKin-
| ley policy for his unexpired term.
Nor was there the demand for
tariff revision which exists today
until about the close of his ad-
ministration, when that was referred
to his successor named on a plat
form, not too explicit in favor of
tariff revision, but which was inter
preted by the candidate as calling
for downward revision.
"The failure of his successor to
secure substantial results in that
direction is the first indictment
against his administration which, if
our Mankato contemporary please, is
no argument whatever against the
timeliness or the propriety or the
excellent declaration on the subject
of tariff found in the progressive
platform and placed there with the
consent, and approval no doubt, of
| Colonel Roosevelt. The colonel and
his party are progressive. Even if
he is to be criticised for a previous
attitude toward the tariff, he is not
to be criticised on the same account
at the present time. A standpatter
may be consistent and nothing else;
progressive is not expected to
be at the expense of progress"
The Pioneer Press tells us that
1 there was not the demand during
President Roosevelt's administration
for tariff revision that there is to-
day. That is a modification of the
st. Paul papers former statement,
but no matter. Let us look back a
number of years and see if we can't
discover that, there was quite a
strenuous demand for revision; and
one of the most insistent and persis-
tent advocates of that doctrine was
The st. Paul Dispatch, a newspaper
that was and is now owned and
controlled by the same gentleman
that owns and controls the Pioneer
Press. The later paper seconded the
efforts of The Dispatch in distribut-
ing its tariff revision propaganda.
The DINGHY tariff bill became a
law in 1897, shortly after the in
auguration of William Mckinley as
president. President Mckinley was
reelected in 1900. On September
6, 1901, he was shot, following the
delivery of speech in Buffalo, N.
T., and in that speech he enunciat-
ed the principles of reciprocity. A
few days later President Mckinley
died and Theodore Roosevelt be-
came his successor In 1905 Presi-
dent Roosevelt succeeded himself
and he did not retire from the white
house until March, 1909, or for more
than ten years following the adop-
ton of the Dingley law.
More than ten years ago there
were calls for tariff revision. Min
nesota was hot-bed for revisionists.
These calls grew louder and louder
and The Dispatch and The Pioneer
Press Joined in the chorus. There
was no cessation of the clamOr,
and during the last four years of
Roosevelt's administration there was
a more pronounced cry for change
in schedules. None could be heard
more plainly above the din than The
Dispatch and The Pioneer Press.
All this time President Roosevelt
sat idly by. He did not bother his
head about the pay envelope of the
iaborer. He did not discuss the con-
nection between the tariff and the
workmen. Nor did he in any respect
follow out the policy of William Nc
kinley, who had advocated the prin-
clples OF reciprocity and was begin
ming to feel of the public pulse that
was then beating for tariff revision.
Those who kept abreast of the
times know full well that there was
a strong demand for tariff re-
vision during his administration and
nothing stood in the way of
President Roosevelt submitting to
congress his plan whereby the bene-
hts of a protective tariff could be
disclosed in the pay envelope of the
| laborer. He had seven years in
which to disclose those benefits, but
| he seems to have overlooked the
man who wears the overalls and was
devoting a good share of his time to
talking about race suicide and calling
those who did not agree with him
crooks and liars. Also consenting
to deals that would give the steel
trust control of the steel situation.
He did not disclose" the benefits OF
the tariff then and what assurance
have we that he will do so if given
third term?
| All OF sudden the colonel coins
catch-phrase that he hopes will
sound pleasing to the ear of the la
borer. He goes about the country
talking glibly of disclosing benefits
In the pay envelope of the laborer,"
but up to the present time he has
made no explanation of why he did
not effect those diScloSuroc u,bor ~