The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-22
GREATEST OF REPUBLICAN,
 STATESMEN
Washington So Regards Rugged Senator Of Wisconsin - His Analysis of the Democratic Tariff Bill Wins Him Addition al Friends
(By Our Staff Corres.)

Washington, Sept. 22-By his vote
 in favor of the tariff bill Senator Rob-
 ert M. LaFoIIette again proved him
 self the greatest of Republican states
 men. In the acid test he was the only
 one of the Republican progressive who
 could subordinate principle to policy and place patriotism above party. In a carefully prepared and signed state
 ment, the great Wisconsin Senator
 pays a splendid tribute to the Under
 wood Simmons bill, analyses it from
 his viewpoint as a Republican, and gives the explanation of his mental
 processes that led him to support it on the final roll call.
 LaFollette argues that there is no appreciable difference between a tariff bill drawn under the progressive Re- publican theory of "eqdalizing the diff ference in cost of production at home theory of a competitive tariff. The two phrases mean the same thing, he contends.
 ''The Democrats were bound to re- duce the tariff says the Senator. They desired to cut it so low as to take away all of it that afforded pro- lection. But this they dared not do at one stroke. It is obvious, there fore, that this Competitive tariff bil1' )is constructed upon a plan that is not so widely at variance with the strict application of the principle contended for by Progressive Republicans, that is, the difference in the cost of pro- duction at home and abroad
 'But a close study of this bill will convince any unbiased mind that in the main the general plan and pEr- pose of those who framed the bill was to lower the high and often prohtbi- tory tariff rates of the Payne-A1drich law to such a, level as to insure enough foreign competition to prevent the combinations formed behind the tariff wall from continuing to exact mono poly prices from the consumer. And on the other hand the conclusion will be. reached that 1t was not their pur- pose to admit enough foreign com petition to inJure@ American n7anufac-l turers who are dealing fairly with the American people.
 t'No tariff measure, with it's thou sands of rates, can attain to perfec- tion," is LaFollette's' conclusion. The question presented at this time is a choice betweeen this bill, with it's gen. eral level of duties on manufactured products reasonably just to home in dustries, excepting as I have indicat- ed, and the iniquitous rates imposed upon the American people by the Payne-A1drich law.
 ''On this issue, which involves the general welfare of the millions in ev- cry walk of life, partisan politics should have no place. The contest is really between The People and En- trenched Privilege. It is an unequal struggle, and calls for the highest service which men now in public life can render to their country.
 "The trusts and combinations in their relentless oppression of the pub lie have been materially aided by the JaI enacted years ago. Their power will not be broken when that law is supplanted by the present bill. But it's passage is significant. It marks a, change. It is the winning of the first battle in the long war which must be waged against industrial monopoly. This warfare is not against legitimate busi- ness. It is against the tyranny of un- lawful combinations, er-protected, ] over-capitalized."