The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-11
TARIFF SLASH|NG
IS THE PROGRAM
OF PROCREsS|vES
No Halt Hearted Downward
Revision Will Suit Col
onel Roosevelt
I. K. CHARY ABOUT
TALKING TOO MUCH
Commission Will Be Recon-
mended to Look Into Cost
of living and Make
Report


Tariff slashing to cut down the high
cost OF living will be urged in the
third party platform to be adopted in
Chicago next month. No shrinking,
talf-h hearted tariff tinkertng will be
suggested, but a comprehensive pro-
cess of pruning that will leave no
doubt as to how the progressives
stand.
The western progressives are in
sistent tht the third party get into
the field with a tariff plank thar
means something. Colonel Roosevelt
has listened 10 their demand and
has professed himself to visitors at
Sycamore Hill within the last few
days as ia full sympathy.
The International News Service has
1t on absolute authority that the tariff
plank Of the new party will come out
for Immediate downward revision on
commodities that make up the neces-
stiles of life. Wool and cotton are
two articles, the tariff on which will
be attacked as being so high as to
be distinctly unfair to the consumer
Word has gone out from Sycamore
Hin that Roosevelt will aot counte-
,nce any timtd. reluctant attitude on
the part of the new party convention
respecting the tariff. The ex-presi-
dent holds IL Incumbent paf4-t4aa-
while protecting the home manufae-
turer. SO sharpens competition as to
force prices down.
VIII Stump Country
That summed UP is going TO be the
third party tariff plank and upon 1t
Colonel Roosevelt will so BEFORE the
country. hammeriug at the Demo-
cratic and Republican platforms as
political sham. The latter two parties.
Roosevelt maintains, are in false
position regarding the tariH. the
Democrats because they cannot hope
To put into effect their advocacy of n
tariff for revenue only and the Re-
pubiicans because they stand upon
the same platform. with the same
candidate. As they did In l9os--a
platform which, the colonel argues,
was disregarded after Taft became
president.
Roosevelt is chary about talking
tariff before the con---tion passes
upon the plank now being drafted.
But he has not minced words in ex-
planning his attitude with his lead
ers.
The third party will amply dea
with the tariff" was all the colonel
would say for quotation today.
In his primary fight, the ex~preai-
dent spoke for tariff that would
put the benefit Of the high tari1
in the pockets OF the wagearner
He reiterated that stand today
While the progressive plank viii
declare Cor general revision OF the
tariff, commission viii be recon-
mended To look Immediately into the
cost OF production of the necessities.
with instructions To, report quickly
upon concrete changes that may be
instantly put into effect. The com
mission, the colonel maintains. should
get down to work Immediately after
March 4th next---to be appointed by
the next president-and return Its
findings within a short period. Upon
the commissions report the president
is to recommend new tariff legislation
to congress. and fight for II.
VANS Special Bureau.
Colonel Roosevelt has already ex-
pressed doubt that the tariff Is re-
sponsihle for the high cost OF meat,
An tnSatry tnta that saah5ect he feels
ought TO be made by some other
agency than the tariff commission.
II elected, the ex-president Intends TO
have special bureau investigate
meat eggs and milk to see how the
high prices can be sliced down.
Coincidentally with the tariff,
Roosevelt wants to get after the cor
porations. as being largely response
Bile for the high cost OF living.
In his search for information tho
colonel today had in conference Her
bert Knox Smith, commissioner of
corporations at Washington. Mr..
Smith, a Taft appointee. who was
taken over from the Roosevelt adj
ministration. stood with Colonel
Roosevelt in the imbro6lio three
months ago over the colonel's al
legged protection of the Harvester trust
while in the White House. For three
hours Roosevelt and Smith discussed
the trust problem.
I'VE went into the relation of the
government with the corporations ex-
planned Roosevelt, but when pressed
to tell along what lines the discussion
had run, ne declined to talk.
Must Curb Corporations.
The ex-president thinks he has 4
telling campaign cry in the handlin,;
Of corporations by the government.
He does not say that the immense cor
sporations ought to be put OF business
as sitting competition, but they must
he s,urbed He faVors a government
bureau TO supervise the trusts. as thu
interstate commerce commission QeW
does in its own province,
For the next couple OF weeks Roosc-
Welt is to devote the major part OF
his time to dipping into all phases of
the economic pTopitHi. from lac Stai''s
point OF the tariff, the trusts ana all
Else that enters into it. While his
mind is taken UP with this, the ex-
president does not want to be bothecf
with the multiplicity Of details OF the
organization of the third party TO
that end he wants supporters who
have Suggestions TO make on the PAT
tvs construction to see the readers
in the New York headquarters
want to see In our platform aii
phases of the economic ana social
movement taken up. said Rcoseveit.
.eThose who have really anything val- /
uable TO suggest along that line 4
want 10 see at Sagamore Hill =