Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-14
ELDER ADAMS HELD
| AUTHOR OF LETTER
SCathing Tariff Remarks At
tributed to Father of
Secretary.

While a letter attributed to Secretary
Of the Navy Adams, advocating free
trade and characterizing tariff advo-
Gates as thieves" and hogs" was
placed in the Congressional Record
yesterday, much to the embarrassment
Of Republican leaders OF the senate,
the Boston Herold in a special article
today says the letter was In fact writ
ten by the Secretary's father, also
named Charles Francis Adams.
The letter was inserted in the Record
by Senator Connolly, Democrat, of
Texas, and from its nature was given
wide publicity. But the Herald says
1t was written by Secretary Adams
father to Samuel W. Mccall, wartime
Governor of Massachusetts,, when the
latter was In Congress. The father was
q publicist and once head of the Union
Pacific Railroad and, like all his fam
ily. was extremely frank in his opinions,
the Herald said. The letter was writ
ten In 1908.
Secretary Adams in London.
Secretary Adams is in London as a
member of the American delegation to
the London Naval Conference.
The letter said:
"Speaking after the fashion of men,
they are either thieves or hogs. my
self belong to the former class am
tariff thief, and I have a license 10
steal. It bears the broad seal of the
United States. I stole under 1t yes
terday. I am stealing under 1t To-Day
I propose to steal under 1t tomorrow.
The Government has forced me INTO
this position, and both do ana snail
Jake full advantage OF 1t. l am tnere-
steal. And what are you going to 90
about it?
"The other class comes under the
hog category-that is, they rush squeal-
ing and struggling to the great Wash.
ington protection trough and with all
four feet in it. they proceed to gooole
the swill. Well acquainted with those
of this class, you know their attitude
and their uttefances. 1t Is useless Tor
me to dilate upon either To this class
I do not belong. am simply a tarn
thief, but, as have said, with license
to steal.
Would End Protection.
ssBut. on the other hand. am q
tariff reformer would like to see
every protective schedule swept out of
existence, my own included.
Meanwhile. what inducement have
to go to washington on public
mission of this sort? A mere citizen;
i
receive from the committee scarcely g
respectful hearing-if any hearing at
al. MY position in these respects is
exactly the position Of nlyriads OF
others. And they say we do not exist.
Meanwhile. Go know this: On every
occasion when, Of late, have had oc-
cssica to address an audience, any ref
ewence to protection ruin or to the
tariff "a the mother OF trusts has in
Variaply elected more spontaneous re-
Spouse than any other utterance could
make. This feeling Is abroad, becoming
stronger and will certainly soon or late,
be In evidence at the polls.
Know Committees Packed.
Meanwhile the tens of thousands Of
persons who feel in that way. like my
self, cannot afford either the time or,
more frequently, the money to go to
washington to ask to be heard before
q committee which. they know in adj
vance, is both prejudiced and packed
against them.
"I have in this letter set forth the
situation, so far as revision of the
tariff is concerned, as it exists within
your personal knowledge and my per-
sonal knowledge. You are welcome
to make such use of 1t before the COM
mittee, or elsewhere, as you see 1T.
should have no objection to seeing 1t