Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-11-25

y
= ence upon the bounty of the govern
. ment and people they would be stron
t., enough to staud alone and Compel
= successfully with their rivals, not onl,
in the home market but in all others.
Under the influence of this argumen
. the first protective tariff was enacte,
d in 1916, and yet, after seventy year
i have passed, many of the same indus
. tries which then asked temporary as
> sistance are now demanding more thar
double the rates Of duty then deemed
: sufficient, and their accredited commit
tees and organs unanimously declar,
that unless these enormous bountiet
shall be indefinitely continued, the in
dustries must cease to exist. Accord.
. ing to their own showing, the policv
|, Inaugurated nearly three-quarters of 4
century ago for the purpose of render-
ing them independent and self-s0stain-
ing. has had exactly the opposite
effect. Its constant tendency has been.
and is now, to impair their ability 70
compete with the products of similar
industries elsewhere and to make them
more and more dependent upon boun-
ties and special legislation for support.
1t has aided largely to the cost of pro-
duction by increasing the price of uaa-
chinery and materials and the necessa-
ries of lifes it has confined the nros3uots
of the so-called protected industries to
the home market exclusively so that
the amount of production must be reg
uIated by the domestic demand alone
ana operations must be suspended
when that demand is satisfied; il has
obSTKUCTED INTERNATIONAL Ex.
CHANGES,
thus partially excluding the products
of our other industries from pofitable
markets abroad, diminishing their
| earnings and arresting their growth
ana prosperity; it has provoked other
governments to resort to retaliatory
measures, discriminating against our
products and trade in their own ports
and markets and giving preference to
the products and trade of our most
formidable rivals, and here at home.
10y encouraging capital and labor to re-
~ upon legislation for profits rather
than their own capacity, it has greatly
impaired that spirit OF independence
and enterprise which is absolutely in
dispensable TO the successful prosecu-
ton of business in this age of improve
ment and progress.
These are only a few Of the evils
which the existing system of taxation
has inflicted upon the country. MANY
valuable industries which would have
fiourished without it have been tor
tured to death by its unequal burdens
and unjust Determinations, while 9TH
ers have been crushed by the com bina-
tions and monopolies which ii creates
and sustains. Some have pruspered i'm
spite OF it, but the sum of the peoples
wealth, the aggregate accumulation Of
savings in all branches Of Industry, is
undoubtedly much less than it ought
to have been, and would have been un-
der mere equal revenue system, and
more liberal commercial policy A
few have become very rich but many
have become poor, and the gulf between
luxury and penury is growing wider
and deeper day by day. This unnatur-
al and dangerous condition of affairs
could not possibly exist in young and
rapidly developing country like ours If
the laws and regulations affecting the
creation and distribution of wealth
were just and equal in their operations.
With fertile soil and friendly
cline; with inexhaustible stores of coal
and iron-the two most powerful MAJ
terial agencies in our modern civiliza-
ton; with vast extent of unoccupied
and undeveloped territory; with free
institutions and an intelligent, indus
trious and enterprising population, we
ouSnt 10 De exempt from the ~
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DISEASES
which affiict the crowded nations Of
the Old World; and we will be exempt
from them when we tax ali elike aud
protect all alike. Living in such a
country and surrounded by the mar
vellous achievements of the most won
derful half century in the annals Of the
human race, if the people continue
and discontented; il
wealth continues to accumulate rapid
ly in the hands of the idle few while
hunger and nakedness increase in the
very homes of industry, and If invested
capital remains uneasy and insecure
and labor dissatisfied, it will be burn
ing disgrace to the statesmanship OF
the age and a terrible weight of respOn-
sibility will rest Upon those who reject
all measures of relief and cling with
tenacity to the worst features
of the system under which these evils
have originated and attained their
present proportions. But, gentlemen,
falter, the great fight for reform will go
on. This country does not belong to
either the monopOlists or the commun-
lists, and the people will save it from
both. Between the two there stands n
great and powerful body of enlightene,..
and patriotic citizens who
respect equally the rights of capital
and labor, who obey the laws and pre-
serve the public peace, and who, in
spite of all combinations and conspira-
ces, will ultimately see that the true
principles Of justice and equality pre-
vail in the legislation Of the country.
Even to prevent the continuance of
Iong-existing and constantly-increasing
evils they will not rush from one ex-
treme to another, but will proceed care
fully, deliberately and resolutely to
correct inequalities, remove unnecessary
burdens and open the paths that lead
10 peace and prosperity.
While free trade is impracticable. in.
lustrial and commercial emancipation
:an and will be accomplished by wise
and moderate measures of reform, with
put interfering with any private enter
prise or injuriDg any public interest.
10 this some of us at least are irrevoca-
bly, pledged. not only by the traditions
and declarations of the political party
70 which we belong. but by sense Of
and official duty which can
not be disregarded without betraying
,he confidence resposed In us by the
people. Whether in public or In pri-
vate life / shall stand by that pledge.
md, to the extent of my abilities and
contribute in every way
% the early and complete triumph OF
'evenune reform.
D. f. Reese desires to call the attention Of
he public to the fact that the has one OF the
Inest stocks Of Clothing ever brought to this
ection Of this State and parties on the look