The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-01-05
DULL TIMES IS REVENGE or
SPECIAL INTERESTS

from LaFollette's Weekly for No
vember is of especial interest be-
cause LaFollette is himself re-
publican and remained one all
through the progressive revolt.)
The return to congress Of
number Of the old standpat lead
ers from states and districts in
which Aldrich has been the ideal
for a quarter of century, is hail
ed with joy by special interest
press and politicians. Business
is to be revived and labor is to be
rewarded.
Already the first number of the
program of a new administration
is annOunced-"restore the Pay
ne-Aldrich tariff" They pro-
pose to RESCUE our perishing in
dustries." They are already
counting on "a large increase in
duties all along the line" OF
course it will raise prices and in
crease the cost of living. The
consumer will have to pay the
piper. But what of that? We
must have prosperity at any
price.
1t is the religion of the story
that he who "disturbs business"
commits the objectionable sin.
If it will but furnish employment
to labor at a scant living wage,
overgrown business, staggering,
and brutal, shall have license to
destroy competition, establish
monopoly, violate the law, intimi-
date justice, corrupt government,
destrop democracy, and set up in
its place industrial and CONNER
cial despOstism.
And the Wilson administration
has been disturbing business. j."
It's principal offense is that it has
reduced the tariff.
That there should be some bus
mess disturbance Following a re-
duction Of the high tariff duties
was inevitable. That much of
the depression was artificial can
not be disputed. Does any "a
tional human being doubt that the
tariff interests would fight to the
last ditch to maintain their I'M
lawful profits? They had many
times warned the public that il
would be unsafe to interfere with
them. II was an open boast of
standpat statesmen at the begin
ming of the tariff session under
the present administration that
the protected interests would
make the American people pay
dearly for their folly in the cleo
ton of 1912; that when a few
million laborOrs had been laid
off, and the balance had suffered
a cut III their wages; that when
the banks reduced the credit line
and people were made to feel the
pinch, they would be eager to
bring Aldrich and Cannon back
and beg them to make the wheels
go round.
The interests could afford to
take a small present loss on a
manufactured depression to re-
store their privileges on monopoly
and huge profits for another long
high-tariff period.
And xrrn hoxra hoI ,..u ~nn
son of business Oppression
a small measure of it the logical
result of tariff changes necessary
during the period of readjust-
ment from the false, artificial, in
flated bases to a sound, honest,
staple basis of actual values.
There was no reason for a bust
ness depression OF a radical or
general character.
Democratic tariff duties on the
schedule of manufactures, with
the exception of some of the more
highly finished products, accord
ed to those industries a fair
measure Of protection against
foreign competition. On wool
and sugar and most of the pro-
ducts of agriculture, the cut was
unwarranted. For the most par
it is true that the farmer cannot
be materially benefited by tariff
duties upon his products; but up
on many things grown upon the
farm, he has foreign competi-
ton maintained under conditions
which entitle him to the same
me- asure of protection accorded
TO tho American manufacturer
This he did not receive in The
democratic tariff bill. But or
the Who'll the bill S a PROTECT
I'VE TARIFF MEASURED, and in
fnitely better and fairer to the
American people than the Payne