Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1891 — Secretary Rusk’s Plan. [ARTICLE]

Secretary Rusk’s Plan.

Secretary Rusk was the only man i® the gloomy group around the White House who betrayed his conviction that national issues were involved in the Massachusetts light, and he does it by a silly threat. According to the New York Tribune he said: “Secretary Rusk declares that t)he e’ections went as he exipeotsd, and he was not .at all surprised. The 'only comment Ihe had to make was that be would be In ifavor of restoring the tariff 'On hides, as the Massachusetts shoo manufacturers, far 'whose benefit bides were put on ithe free list, had voted with the Demoorats. He believed It .a good Idea to makethem pay more for their hides.” The seoretary would punish the shoe manufacturers of Massachusetts for voting in their own interests by “taxing hides.” Incidentally be has.another object iin wiow. Mr. Rusk never'overlooks the interests df the “Big Four” in Chicago He never loses au-opportunity to put iin .a word for 'the .benefit 'Of this group of millionaires, although ihe pretends to be 'the farmers’ ;friend. In 1890ithe New York Tribune-showed clearly how a tariff on hides would operate. It said: “It can hardly be believed that the homeiproducer .will be benefited by the imposition of a duty which would apparently help.nobody-so much as the rich combination.of beef packers.and the rest. ” And When the House'was debating the grant'of a 'tariff bonus to these.packers by putting.a.duty on 'hides, Col. Bayne, a Republican member of the Ways and Means Committee, said: *iAs a matter of fact, rthe business of hides is largely in the hands of such men as Phil Armour (one of the ‘Big Fout ), who can consign to a tannery a hundred,.or several hundred, hides ;at onee, and it is they 'Who will be benefited by this duty, rather than ithe fafejer, who has only one or two hides.to sell at aitime. ” This shows clearly the animus.of Secretary Rusk and the 'results which he expects irom a policy of “getting even” with (the shoe manufacturers.