1904 ~ TARIFF ISSUE
HOW TO TEST THE QUESTION OF
REVISION.
Should the Republicans Stand for
< Business Stability and the Demo
^ crats Urge the Abandonment of
Protection, Which Would Win?
Referring to the “I.ot-well-enotigh
alone'’ doctrine advocated by Secre
tary Root in bis Boston speech, the
Minneapolis Journal says:
□ ‘ But if times continue good the doc
trine of leaving things to themselves
will be just as good in 1905 as now,
and that sort of postponement cannot
bo kept up very long if the tariff is to
be revised by its friends.
“There is probably not one man in
a thousand in the United States that
does not expect to see a business and
industrial reaction in this country
sometime within the next ten years,
and many expect It within the next
five. When that, reaction comes It
will be too late to talk about having
the tariff altered by its friends. The
people are more likely to be in a
mood to have it altered with a broad
ax by its enemies.”
This question can be tested—and it
will very likely he so tested—in a
simple and direct manner. Thus:
I,et the National Republican conven
tion next year resolve that
“Tariff stability is a vital need of
all business, Industry, trade anil com
merce. Therefore, as the country is
now in a highly prosperous condition,
any revision of the tarft at this time
Is uncalled for, unwise and unwar
ranted."
Then let the National Democratic
convention next year assert its plat
form that
“The existing protective tariff is a
robbery and a tax; it obstructs busi
ness; it shelters monopoly; it permits
combinations of producers to plunder
the consumers; it makes the rich rich
er and the poor poorer. Therefore the
M tariff should be Immediately repealed
and in its place a tariff for revenue
only should be enacted.”
Going before the country upon the
tariff issue thus sharply and clearly
defined, which party would carry the
Presidential election in 1904? From
present indications that Issue is likely
everything that New England wants
to sell. As a President for the whole
country, Roosevelt must appeal to
those who live outside the provinces,
which are, fortunately, only a small
portion of the United States.—Halena
! (.Mont.) Record.
PROTECTION FOR COAL.
How Its Removal Has Injured the Far
West.
The fleet of vessels engaged to bring
coal from Australia to this country
numbers sixty-seven. There is not the
slightest possibility tlmr the effect of
this will he to reduce the price of the
fuel to consumers. It will be to give
the dealers a bigger profit, and to give
to a foreign country the benefit of a
market that should have been left to
home enterprise. This fleet will un
load at San Francisco. In the North
west there is coal enough to supply
the California demand, and would still
be enough were the demand far great
er. Formerly Washington supplied
j much of this coal. The demand has
| been lessened by the adoption of oil
j burning methods, but still remains con
siderable. Now it will bo filled by
Australia. Siiips can afford to carry
coal at a low rate to ports into which
they have infrequently sailed in bal
last. Thus the wild furore to take the
duty off something has deprived this
coast of an important protection. The
public mind awoke to lively conception
of this necessity when the strike and
the hoggishness of the retailers had
sent prices of coal in the East to a
figure where the poor were in danger
of freezing. Statesmen smote their
swelling breasts and vowed that they
would remedy these conditions. Then
they took the duty off coal, to the det
riment of Pacific coast interests, for
which they have as little care as for
the interests of Patagonia, and their
consciences ceased to cause them
pangs. The removal of this duty
could have no possible bearing upon
the evils it was sought to cure. All
that it could do it has done. It has
struck a blow at the Pacific coast; it
has diverted money to Australia, and
it has not hail a single beneficent ef
fect.
This part of the country is in favor
of protection, and it would include
coal. The East has no Australian com
petition to fear. The agitators who
favor fooling with the tariff want him
ALPHONSE AND GA3TCN.
to be presented. In such an event
watch the Republican mugwumps fall
over each other In their hurry to
get back into the Republican ranks!
A few of them might rush in the op
posite direction, but for every such
deserter a score of business Demo
crats who are making money and want
the tariff let alone would be found
quietly voting the Republican ticket.
«The country is in no hurry to be torn
up again by tariff experiments.
FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
The President Not in Favor of In
ternal Tariff Favoritism.
‘‘Let well enough alone," was a
sentiment that appealed to the pros
^ perous people of this prosperous na
" tion in the campaign of 1900. "Go on
letting well enough alone.” will be
the talk in 1904. President Roosevelt
recognized this when he said in Min
neapolis:
“In making any readjustment there
are certain important considerations
which cannot be disregarded. If a
tariff law has on the whole worked
well, and if business has prospered
under it and is prospering, it may be
better to endure some inconveniences
and inequalities for a time than by
making changes to risk causing dis
turbance and perhaps paratysis in
the industries and business of the
country."
The tariff speech of the President is
a direct sequel to his able review of
the subject of the trusts. He points
out that the question of revising the
t£>riif is in no wise related to the trust
issue. In his Milwaukee speech, he
told about certain physicians who
could cure diseases, but were not so
W sure about saving the life of the pa
tient. It is easy to put the corpora
tions, trusts and otherwise, out of
business, by making lines hard
enough. But that is not the remedy
obviously.
The President would, above all,
preserve the protective principle,
which has done so much to strengthen
the position of the American worklng
k man at home. He would approach
with caution such changes as are sug
gested from time to time, with due
reference to their importance to “the
natioh as a whole.” Evidently Roose
velt is not in sympathy with the “New
England idea," which is to let in
everything free that New England
wants to buy and slap a high duty on
her on the free list. too. The explana
tion of this is easy. The East has no
lumber worth mentioning.—Tacoma
Ledger.
Always Looking for Cheapness.
The free-trader always approaches
men from the standpoint of the pro
ducer only. They are advised to vote
for cheapness, with the implied prom
ise on the free-trader's part that all
other things shall remain as they are.
But they never do remain as they are.
If an era of cheapness comes upon a
country, everything becomes cheap, in
cluding labor and the product of the
manufactories. The result is that
while everything Is cheap and theore
tically within the reach of the poor
est, the ability to buy is so curtailed
that the sum total of profits is reduced
and poverty ensues. We are to have
another campaign upon the tariff, and
there will be nothing new injected Into
it but the specious claim that the tariff
is responsible for the trusts, and this
is not new. The result of this next
contest will depend altogether upon
whether men are short-sighted or far
sighted. Whether they are capable
of learning from experience so recent
that it seems impossible that any
could forget.—Cedar Rapids Republi
tan.
Of Course.
It Is a curious fact, and one worth
keeping in mind, that the same free
trade papers that so cordially ap
proved the sentiments expressed in
the speech of Gov. Cummins in Des
Moines at the Republican county con
vention, are greatly disgruntled at the
speech of President Roosevelt in Min
neapolis three weeks later. Gov. Cum
mins declared that the tariff ought to
lie immediately torn up both by direct
legislation and by reciprocity in com
peting products while President Roose
velt declared that for at least two
years to come, cr until after the elec
tion of 1901. the tariff should be left
entirely alone. Ergo, the free trade
papers were delighted with Gov. Cum
mins and displeased with President
Roosevelt. Of course they were.
Standing Together.
The Republi) ans of Michigan seem
to be standing together all right, and
G. O. P. gains are reported in Ohio.
These straws would indicate a rather
chilly wind for democracy in the cam
paigns of the near future.—Sioux City
Journal.
TROUBLES OF TWO ARTISTS.
Why Both of Them Have Aversion to
Badly Warmed Halls.
A concert company in which Mr.
Seeboeck wa? iho pianist had been
play*ng in some of the smaller towns
during February and had suffered con
siderable inconvenience through In
sufficiently heated halls. One evening,
after an unusually cold experience,
Seeboeck related an incident which
had occurred on a tour some months
previous. The violinist of the com
pany had received notice of the time
of departure at such a late hour that
in the haste of packing he neglected
to Include in his wardrobe Ills dress
trousers. The omission was not dis
covered until an hour before the con
cert. Naturally he was greatly dis
concerted upon realizing that lie
would be forced to appear in dress
coat and gray trousers. In this
dilemma he called Seeboeck into con
sultation. Both men were nearly of a
size and Seeboeck hit upon the plan
of both using the same trousers, per
forming a •'lightning change” between
appearances. The plan was adopted,
Seeboeck appearing first. As quickly
as possible after reaching his dressing
room he divested himself of his trous
ers and the violinist donned them
with equal haste. The first selection
of the violinist's was long, difficult and
was so well received that an encore
was demanded. “It was then that I
fully appreciated the criminal neglect
of improperly heating halls,” said Sce
boeck. "When the time for my next
appearance arrived and with it my
trousers 1 was in a half-frozen condi
tion. Some consolation, however, was
to he derived from the thought that
the violinist was shivering in the
dressing room during my number,
which also received an encore. But on
the whole it was a wretched evening.
Kight times we alternately wore and
went without those trousers. If the
audience had known the cost of that
performance in physical discomfort to
at least two of the performers 1 be
lieve it would have been ev-n more
appreciative than it was, though I
could have well dispensed with sev
eral of the encores accorded the vio
linist.”
TIRED OF THE MONOTONY.
Why George Grossmith's Butler Was
Leaving His Service.
Many and various and weird are the
reasons given by servants for wanting
a change of place. Here is a tale told
by George Grossmith, which adds a
rare and wondrous instance to the
long and eccentric list:
His butler, who had been with lnm
for nearly twenty years, went to him
one day and said:
*Tf you please, sir, I want to leave.”
Mr. Grossmith was sorry, and asked
the man his reason.
“I would rather not say, sir,” was
the mysterious reply.
This was uncomfortable, and Mr.
Grossmith pressed the question again.
“Come,” he said, “you have been
with me for so long and have never
complained before. Surely l have al
most a right to know why you wish
to leave. Your secrecy is unpleasant,
and I must really beg of you to tell
me your reason for leaving my ser
vice.”
The butler thought a moment and
then said:
“Well, sir, as you insist, I must tell
you. But I don’t want to. (A pause.)
The fact Is, sir, I’ve been with you
for close upon twenty years, and I’m
tired of the sight of you and all your
family! ”
Success of the Solemn Ass.
Look about you, gentle reader, and
consider the solemn ass In every walk
of life. Who so respected, so admired,
so influential? He never takes sides.
He never Is partisan. He goes along
with knitted brows, his thoughts too
deep for utterance. Smaller men may
abandon themselves to hasty inclina
tions, to rash preferences, to robust
views. He never does. If he speaks
at ail It is with such profundity and
circumlocution and complexity that
the most recondite cryptogram ever
rescued from a pyramid would seem
to burst of innocent and childish can
dor in comparison. Yet he wears fine
raiment every day. He enjoys the re
spect and confidence of the communi
ty. He prospers. The oil of opulence
anoints him. He is the incarnation
of success!—Washington Post.
The Little Weak Child.
My little son. my liula son,
In heaven canst thou rest?
And which of all his children does
The High God love the best?
Thou art too weak to stand all day
And glorify his name;
Ah, pray him let thee stray awhile
And play some foolish game.
Thou are too young to know him great.
So whisper to him this:
Thou art Just big enough, sometimes.
To hold and fold and kiss.
—Anita Fitch la Car
Cutting It Short.
“How- would you like your hair cut,
sir?” asked the barber, "with the scis
sors or clippers?”
“Both,” replied the victim. “Use
the scissors on my hair and the clip
pers on your conversation.”
Yields All to Preach th# Word.
F. M. Messenger, a mill agent in
Grosvenordale, Conn., at $15,000 per
year, has given up his work to preach
the "holiness” doctriue.
Forty Years Continuous Service.
John H. Benton has seen forty years
of continuous service in the United
States bureau of pensions at Wash
ington.
World’s Longest Glacier.
The Hispar pass in the Himalayas
ha3 the longest glacier in the world.
It is ninety miles in length.
“ MEMORIAL DAY.”
The Children's Gift
He was a veteran of the Civil War,
a brave ami fearless soldier, and his
grandchildren knew that such another
grandfather had never lived. Every
sunny day you could see him in his
wheel chair or limping painfully along.
Tod and Tucker trying to help on one
side, and Marthy and Emmy on the
other. It troubled them uot a little
that grandfather, who was the bravest
of the brave and the truest gentleman
on the whole earth, should wfear
clothes that were shiny and frayed and
had been worn for many, many years.
For themselves they did not care; they
had never done anything to merit fine
clothes.
But grandfather had done so much,
had been so faithful and brave ami
true, and he should he clad in fine
raiment, it seemed to them. By hard
work they had managed to gather
enough nickels and dimes together to
buy the wheel chair from a second
hand furniture man. It wasn't good
enough for grandfather, hut it was
the very best they could do.
It was all Mrs. Monroe, the chil
dren's mother, and grandfather’s only
daughter, could do to keep the four
pairs of feet covered and the four little
bodies from suffering from the cold.
She worked hard and long, but she
never complained—not even when
father left her suddenly to go to the
Beautiful Country where we shall ail
meet some day when we are called
away.
His four grandchildren were not the
old man’s only admirers by any
means. He was always the center of
an interested group of boys and girls,
who listened with rapt attention to his
wonderful tales of the war. The po
licemen all knew and shook hands
with him, the firemen always touched
their caps to him. and the car con
ductors smiled at him as they dashed
by. Grandfather thought it was only
common politeness, for he greeted
everyone because he had joy in his
heart, If his body was warped and
bent.
Grandfather had been shot in try
ing to carry an important message
through the lines—he was the only
one who volunteered to carry the mes
sage, for It was a terribly dangerous
undertaking.
What did it matter now, that he
had failed then? Was it not just as
brave a deed as though he had been
successful? He was the only man in
the regiment bravo enough to under
take It. The Monroe children knew
that If one is brave and does one's
very best, failure is as honorable as
auccesa.
Margie Morris lived arounsj (1“! cor
ner from the Monroes, in a much finer
house, and her dresses wore soft and
pretty and not at all like those Marthy
and Eminy wore.
“Please dress ine plainer, mother,"
she said more than once. “You see.
I feel very gaudy beside Marthy and
Emmy and the rest, and 1 wouldn't
like them to feel I'm better dressed.”
Margie need not have worried about
her clothes, however, for the Monroe
children did not care, although they
admired the dainty things she wore.
It was grandfather they cared about—
and Margie had no grandfather, so
they gave her a share in theirs. If
grandfather only had fine new clothes
and comforts like other old men they
would be happy indeed.
“Marthy,” said one of the newcom
ers in the neighborhood one day,
"why don't your grandfather wear his
soldier cap ’stead of that shabby old
felt hat? '
Marthy looked at Tod, Tod looked
at Tucker and Tucker looked at Em
my. Then Emmy answered bravely;
“It’s Decause his sojer cap is moth
eaten.”
"Then why don’t you buy him a new
other hat: ’ persisted the newcomer.
"I should think you'd be ashamed of
him."
Emmy and Tod and Tucker and
Marthy had tears in their eyes by this
time, when Margie cried suddenly to
the newcomer:
"I can beat you to the next corner!”
and off they started.
"I think it was just cruel. I do!”
declared Margie at supper that night.
‘'They’re just as poor as can be, and
every cent has to buy food, and their
dear old grandfather won’t let them
buy anything for him. I do wish I
could help them.”
”1 doubt if they would accept char
ity,” said her mother.
"indeed they wouldn’t,” said Margie.
Big sister Mabel spoke up:
"Didn't he ever get a pension?” she
said.
“What is that?” asked Margie.
"it’s money paid yearly by the gov
ernment to those who are disabled In
Its service,” explained Mabel.
The next day Margie asked Marthy
about it.
“We tried to once,” said Marthy,
"but grandfather always said ills fam
ily thought more of him than the
government did. for the pension was
never given him.”
"Mabel says he ought to have one,”
said Margie thoughtfully. "Oh. Marthy
—I have an idea, and if you’ll promise
not to tell till it's time I’ll let you
help.”
"Cross my heart,” said Marthy sol
cmnly. “I'll only tell grandfather.”
“But he's the most important one,"
cried Margie. “You must keep It a
great secret."
Marthy agreed, and later two flushed
faces bent over a sheet of paper, upon
which Marthy was writing at Margie's
dictation.
Nothing wonderful happened for a
long time, though the two little girls
had many talks over their "secret."
It was necessary to have some help,
and sister Mabel was asked for ad
vice.
All the spring Margie and Marthy
acted very mysteriously, but not a
word of explanation would they make.
On Decoration Day Tod and Tucker,
Marthy and Emmy brushed grand
fathers shabby suit, helped him to his
wheel chair, and started off in the
morning to the cemetery. Grandfather
had never missed this yearly trip to
honor the memory of his dead com
rades, many of whom had gone to the
Beautiful Country. He would salute
beside the graves of the officers In
whose regiment he served with tears
in his brave old eyes; and then he
would tell of their hardihood and
valor. This day Margie joined the
ranks, and other boys and girls, too,
till there was quite a procession. Each
grave was visited, and each name
was read to grandfather, who remem
bered every man perfectly.
As grandfather's chair was turned
towards home a shout in the woods
attracted the attention of the little
cavalcade, and there was Margie's
sister Mabel running toward them and
waving something high in the air.
Margie and Marthy looked at each
other and gasped.
“A letter for the captain," called
sister Mabel, holding out a long en
velope with an official seal.
Grandfather was too surprised Tor
words, and his eyes were too dim to
see.
“Let Margie open it.” whispered
Marthy in his ear, "It was her idea.”
So grandfather asked Margie to
open It; and open it she did right
there in the cemetery, among the
graves of many of the brave soldiers.
And what was It? A document that
told of a pension for grandfather!
And that meaut enough money to keep
him clothed and comfortable all the
rest of his life.
“And Margie got It: ’ cried Marthy,
anxious to give her friend ail the
glory. “She wrote to the President
herself, and he answered her letter,
grandfather; isn't it beautiful?"
Grandfather’s eyes were dim with
tears of joy. Slowly he rose from the
wheel chair, and, standing erect on his
crippled feet, he saluted little Margie
in the stately way that he saluted ills
general's grave.
What cheering there was, and what
a happy cavalcade danced home, each
in turn pushing grandfather’s chair.
Margie npver forgot that day, and
her most valued possession is a beauti
ful letter from the President himself,
thanking her for her interest life one
of the country's heroes.
