Protection

For the formation of a permanent association, for an attempt to take the tariff out of politics, for supporting the present tariff act, the Western Tariff Association met in Denver. The association's object is to prick, when necessary, the sides of President, Congress and Tariff Commission with the spur of Western tariff desires. Mr. Coolidge wrote to the association (see page 1), sending the assurance of his "sympathetic interest."

One of the major addresses was by John Milliken Parker, Governor of Louisiana. Governor Parker now ranks as a Democrat. In 1916 he was a Progressive, a nominee for Vice President on the Progressive ticket, but the Party passed away before the election. In private life Mr. Parker is a cotton factor. He declared:

" The tariff question is more important than ever before in our history and should not be made a football for designing politicians. ... I am a protectionist. I believe in the tariff. ... I believe in my soul that the American man on equal terms can work with anyone, but he cannot possibly compete with those nations which wear practically no clothes, whose wants are limited, whose only hopes are for existence and who have few ideals. . . .

" Our law-makers overlook the fact that the greatest assets today in America are our farmers and our farming people, as they have furnished in both peace and war, the able, virile Americans who are the backbone of our nation."