Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1910 — THE TENTH DISTRICT’S PLATFORM. [ARTICLE]

THE TENTH DISTRICT’S PLATFORM.

Realizing to the full the difficult nature of the tariff problem which is presented to the Republicans of Indiana, we are disposed to deal charitably with any efforts that may be made to solve it. But the platform adopted by the Tenth district Republicans yesterday is, as far as it deals with the Payne bill, har,dly less than ludicrous. Here is the plank: We recommend the Payne law as a substantial step In the fulfillment of the pledgee of the party, and while there may be inequalities in some of the schedules, they are largely due to a want of trustworthy Information respecting the cost of production in this country as compared with the cost of pro-

duction in foreign countries. The trouble with the Payne law is not that there “may be inequalities in some of the schedules,” but that there are not simply inequalities, but whole schedules that are crammed with exorbitantly, high taxes; jokers and industry destroying discriminations. Yet the convention was not sure even that there were “inequalities.” The law is bad because it is a burden on the people, and the product of a great abuse of the taxing power.

But its defects—which it is admitted “may* exist—are, we are told, “due to a want of trustworthy information,” etc. This declaration, if admitted to be correct, is simply a plea of guilty; though to be sure it was not so intended. For congress was bound to inform itself, was charged with the duty, in this most important matter, of getting “trustworthy information.” To legislate without thr fullest information is itself a crinle against the people. It was known that the tariff law to be enacted would affect every citizen of the United States, every industry in the country. Our Republican friends have told us over and over again that there is no more difficult and delicate task than that of making a tariff. It is one calling for the highest skill, a skill which, such has been the claim, only Republicans possess. And yet it is now admitted that the finance committee of the senate, the ways and means committee of the house, the great Republican tariff experts, and finally the Republican majority in congress, prepared and pushed through this bill without having acquired “trustworthy information” to guide them. But the men responsible for this law were guilty of a positive offense against the people. For they were without information because they did not want it, did not seek it, and actually repelled it when offered. During the course of the debate in the senate the Democrats demanded the publication of a report made to the state department, at its request, by the German government, covering this very question of comparative cost of production. Senator Aldrich de-j nounced the action of Germany as an “impertinence,” though her government had acted in response to a request from our own. Pressed still further, Mr. Aldrich said that the report was being “translated,” and that the reason it had not been presented was that the translation had not been completed. Here, then, was information immediately at hand. Yet it was repelled. Instead of being guided by the facts bearing on the principle in accordance with which the law was supposed to be framed, they were guided wholly by “experts” who sought the extreme of protection for themselves —such gentlemen as Whitman and Littauer and the gentlemen of the Arkwright Chib!.. As the plan was to give all the protection possible, the gentlemen who made the schedules repelled all information that showed that little was needed. So their, ignorance was deliberately cherished. Therefore, the plea of the Tenth district Republicans can not be allowed. When they say that there was a lack of “trustworthy information” the people will reply that such information could have been had if it had been desired, that congress has no right in such important matters to legislate without trustworthy information. Undoubtedly there will be a good deal of straddling in this campaign. But the straddling will have to be more skillfully done than in this case. The obvious truth is that the law is bad, known to be bad by the people of Indiana. Perhaps the Republicans of the Seventh district were wiser in failing to adopt any platform at all.—lndianapolis News.