Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-07-02

ministrations efforts. al some future
time return TO our people. This Is true
both as regards the trust question
and the tarir question. As regards
both. the on.y wise course to follow
is that set forth In the National Pro
gresslve Platform. The nation should
deal with both by continuing exeea'
tive action through Administrative
commissions OF ample power. one
commission should shape our tarin poll
cies so as, with thorough knowledge
dIsinterestediy acquired, to give prop
er encouragement to our merchants
while also giving proper protectiOn
to our wage workers, our farmers ano
our business men. The other commls-
sion should exercise strict supervision
and control over big business. we
should treat 1t with entire Jusuce'
drawing the line not on size, out on
misconduct. We should encourage
the big business man who does wen
and who regards his great abilities
as a trust to be exercised as much IN
the interest of the public as In his own
interests. But we should check and
punish him effectually and promptly
when he exercises these Abilities 10
the detriment either OF the smaller
business man with whom he completes,
OF the wage-workers who should snare
with him the benefits OF his and tnelr
common efforts or Of the general pup
lie whom he serves.
AS regards the tariff, wish especial
" to call your attention to the prom
lses made by President Wilson and
his supporters two years ago. lhey
asserted that their method OF tarln
reduction would reduce the cost or
living and would thus solve the trust
question because, as they said, the
trusts were the creatures OF the tarln'
We then answered that their promises
were empty words, that no such re-
suits. as they stated could or woulo
follow from the course>they advocated
and that only by the method we pro-
nose could either the trust or the
tariff question be dealt with so as 10
ehste the existing evils and at the
same time increase the general we'll
being. Two short years nave proved
lis to be right. Their promises nave
not been kept. Their performance has
brought distress upon the nation. me
cost OF living has not been reduced
But the ability of the average man 10
earn a living has been greatly reduced.
Not the slightest progress has been
made toward solving the trust ques'
ton. But the business community
has. been harassed and harried to no
purpose; and the prosperity OF the
business man has been checked exact
..ly as the prosperity Of the farmer ana
the wage worker has been checked.
AS for the farmer, the present
tariff the Administrations tarin, was
80 framed as to result In the sacri-
Ace OF his interests. He had no
spoF~ sman, no friend in high quar-
tiers and his welfare was contemptu-
ously sacrificed. At every point where
his interest was concerned he was
made to suffer. AS for the wage'work-
or. the result OF the tariff was that
he suffered even more than his en-
ployer.
As for the employer, sometimes he
has been able to struggle on with the
loss of profits, sometimes he has
had to close his shop. In businesses
in which any Of the big trusts were
concerned. 1t was the small competi-
tors OF the trusts who were injured
and in many cases ruined. Tarin re-
duction as put into practice by the
present administration has chiefly ben
Gifted foreign .ivals and competitors.
II has done grave injury to the busi-
ness community and the farming COM
munlty and has caused suffering to
the wage workers and the whole poll
cy OF the administration has been one
TO cause our people in business, our
people on the farms, our people with
dinner pals, to look toward the fu-
ture with grave concern and apprehen-
sion.
II ID. of course, essential to rcbuke
those leaders who, by their action,
helped to put the present admlnlstra-
ton In power, and, moreover, II 10 o.
vital consequences to the future WE'LL
being Of our people, to drive from pub
lie life all men whose political activi-
ties In state and nation alike, have
been such as those Of Senator Pen
rose. This 10 not only political but
= moral Issue. mention the nano
Of Senator Penrose, merely because
he typlfies a class. ! am not concern
ed with him as an individual; am
concerned with him az a type. Mr..
penrose stands In Pennsylvania as
Mr.. Barnes stands In New York and
Mr.. Lorimer In Illinois. When we
Noht these men and their activities,
we are fighting the battle Of all de-
cent men and in particular, we are
Nohtlnq the battle Of the honest Re-
publican rank and file, whom these
men have nlsreprsssnted and be-
trayed.
II is we'll to keep in mind that We
now have Mr.. Wilson's administration,
that we now suffer from wretched
foreign policy and from home policies
In national affairs which have serious
" impaired the well-being OF our
neonle. primarily because OF the action