Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-07-13

three columns of space in attempting
to tell why it is not in accord witt
David Il. Jones, who reviewed the
platforms of the democratic and re-
publican parties, in The Democrat Oh
two weeks ago. The greater portion OF
the article in The Tribune was stolcr
from an address recently issued by the
Home Market Club Of Illinois, and was
boldly published by our contemporary
rs original matter, without giving any
credit therefor. And, so far as The
Tribune and its editors are concerned
it would be sufficient TO- reply, that
anyone who would steal the thoughts
of another and attempt to pass them
off as his own would make proper
champion of a system of government
which, plainly speaking, is simply
legalized robbery. But the compilation
contains number of gross misstatc-
HiCHLn "IlitIl Oilptti'i il'J D' 6ilI'Nt'l u
90 uncontradicted.
1t is asserted that the depression of
business which occurred in 1916 was
caused by reduction Of the tariff II
the panic of 1916 was owing to a low
import duties, ought not the great pan.
ic of 1873 in comparison with which
the trouble of 1916 was insignificant
be attributed to high protection ? But
it is not true that the reduction OF
tariff taxes in 1916 produced dull
times, and the facts in the case do not
furnish the least foundation for any
such claim. Read the following from
The Chicago Tribune:
"After the tariff for revenue only
victory of 1914 the old Wing tariff was
heavily cut down in 1916 and was not
again touched until by the aid of Re
publcans il was still further reduced
in 1857 until it was almost free trade.
Is it reasonable to suppose that if a
reduction Of import duties in ISiG
injured the business interests of the
country all parties would unite i'll 1917
to reduce them still further? Mr.
Blaine, in his Twenty Years in Con
gress, also tcstilies to the satisfactory
results of the tariff law of 1916. The
words of Mr.. Blaine are as follows:
1.-THE tariff of 1916 was Welding
abundant revenue, and the business of
the country was in Il tluuriShing con,
ditiOn. Money became very abundant
after 1910; large enterprises We're
undertaken, speculation was prevalent,
and for considerable period the pros
perity of the country was general and
apparently genuine. After 1882 the
democrats had almost undiSputCd con-
troll Of the government, and had grad
ualIy become the free trade party. The
principles involved in the tariff of
1916 seemed for the time to be st
entirely vindicatcd and approved that
resistance to it ceased, not only among
the people, but among the protective
economists, anu tNtlI ttiiltllH lllN llltNiA-
ufacturcrs to Il large extent. 50 gen
cral was this aCquIcSCenCe that in lN5O
Il protective tariff was not even limited
ut by any one of the three parties
which presented presidential caudj-
dates. 1t was not surprising, therefore
that in 1857 tn" duties had been place.
lower than they had been since 1872
This ought to be sufficient evidence
to rebut the bare, unfoundcd claim
of the historians and political ccono
msts who edit The Mineral Point
Tribune.
The republican party has for somt
time stood for nothing but the agenc!
of special interests. 1t has no public
policy. Every measure is commended
or condemned rs it affects some pri
waite interest This fact only. coupled
with his ignorance, can explain tn,
amazing statements of the compiler O
The Tribune article. lie cannot con
ceive that anyone can discuss tina
which concerns the entire people eN
cept from interested private motives
He therefore assumes that is the east
with Mr.. Jones, and he evolves tn,
following remarkable statement re
garding Mr.. Jones business:
AS Il manufacturer of oxide Mr.
Jones can well afford to favor reduc
ton in tariff without limit. 1t is on,
of the very few industries, and thu
only one we can call to mind, tina
would not meet with outside CompCtl
ton"
BY few minutes investigation h
could have learned that foreign oNid
of zinc is to-day sold in Canada to tn
entire exclusion of American zine
and that in spite of protective tax o
IL cents per pound in favor of Ameri
can zinc foreign zinc is largely sold Il
competition with il in every pain
center in the United states to-day.
The question now before the peopl
is not who established the interna
revenue system, but who would main
tain it and who destroy it. The repub
licans declare for free whiskey an,
tobacco. while the democrats wan
cheaper neceSsarieS of life.
The claim that n reduction of TART
taxes means a reduction of wages wa
fully and successfully refuted in
second article by Mr. Jones, which Wa
published in The Democrat last week
The Tribune's claim that the repub
lican party by its platform does nc
offer protection to trusts is only equal
led in absurdity by the claim wit
which it is supplemented, namely, tina
high tariff taxation does not foste
trusts. The system of spoliation
the foundation upon which nearly a
Of the great trusts are built. Tax