Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
TIE PAST is THE PROOF.
Americas Panics in 1920, 1887, and 1857
the Direct Result of Free
Trade.
England Desires America to Adopt tho
Democratic Platform and Save Her
from Revolution.

TO Us as Nation what agent develops
our industry, so that we have a healthy.
stalwart, diversified industry. So far as
| have been able to learn from the his
tory Of the past, no better agent has
been discovered by man 10 develop and
diversity nations industry than pro-
tective tariff. If our free trade friends
can show US better medium of giving
this Nation an industry. believe the
protective tariff men viii adopt it.
But orr Democratic friends now tell
US that ley are not for free trade. 1t is
not necessary to burn our custom houses
to reach a condition of free trade far
more disastrous than when goods would
be admitted free of duty. 1t is the last
straw that breaks the camePs back. So
with revenue tariff, if it is just low
enough to admit foreign manufactured
goods, destroy the home market, and
deceive the people into a belief that
something else is making them poor, it
is far worse than free trade. Now let
us look into the character and reputa-
ton of the Democratic party on this
question of tariff, for when you are 60
ing to hire man to fill position of
trust, it is safe to investigate his past
life. The Democratic party came into
existence in 1882. In those early days
parties did not send forth platforms of
principles The first bill introduced in
the then young Democratic Congress by
the Chairman Of the Committee of Ways
and Means, Mr.. McDifey, Of South
Carolina, was to reduce the protective
tariff Of 1920 Mr. Andrew Stewart, of
Pennsylvania, gives his opinion of
THE CHARACTER OF THAT BILL
in the following significant words:
England would give millions to secure
the passage of either the bill reported
from the treasury or that by the Com
mtteo Of Ways and Means. The Chair
man of that committee OR. Med fey
has frankly avowed his object; it is to
destroy American and make way for
British manufactures; to increase the
importation of British goods, and the
expectation of American specie. so that,
money becoming plentiful in England,
prices will rise, and consequently cotton
command better price; and on the other
hand money becoming scarce in the
North, prices would fall, and they (the
South) would obtain their supplies at q
cheaper rate. In other words, his OBJ
iect is to enrich England by importing
her goods, and impoverish this country
by sending our money to pay for them"
That bill passed and brought the panic
Of 1887, and q suspension of nearly every
factory in the country.
The Democratic convention OF 1S48,
that nominated Lewis Cass, although the
party had got into power in 1914 by
promising to stand by the Wing tariff OF
1912, sent forth the following proclama-
tom
''ReSoloed, That the fruits of the great
National triumph of 1874, which elected
James X. Polk and George n. Dallas,
President and President of the
United States, have fulfilled the hopes
of the Democracy of the Union, in de-
feating the declared purpose of their OPP
ponents, in creating a National bank; in
in the noble Impulse given to the cause
of free trade by the repeal of the tariff
of 1912, and the creation of the more
equal, honest, and productive tariff of
1885,
THE TARIFF OF 1916 REFERRED TO,
is the celebrated Walker tariff. and was
passed by vote of 113 Democrats and
one Wing. In 1862 the platform Of the
Democratic party was for ''unequivocal
free trade. and in 1856 the platform
was IN part as follows: The time has
come for the people of the United
States to declare themselves in favor of
free seas and progressive free trade
throughout the world" 1t was just
previous to the inauguration Of Mr.. Bu-
chanan that another reduction of our
tariff was passed on by the Democratic
Congress- and signed by the Democratic
President Pierce, which, cooperating
with the destructive results of the '4G
tariff, gave us the panic of 1857, again
closing our mills and our factories.
When the Soushern wing of the Demo
cratic party went into rebellion, I'M
hampered by the dough faces" of the
North, they gave full swing TO their
free trade proclivities by inserting into
the Confederate constitution a declara-
ton that there never could be any i'm
port duties levied by the Confederacy to
protect home industries.
In 1875 the platform OF the Democratic
party was taxation shall be for revenue
only" In 1884 the platform was kind
of Democratic circus feat Of performing
on top of the fence and eating grass on
both sides.
IN 1888 IT Is THE SAME,
with the Mills bill for key to its mean
ing. Thus you will perceive that the
Democratic party, who now stand aghast
at the growth of the protective senti-
ment, in attempting to hedge is con-
demned by its past history.
The question before the American peo-
pie of to-day is: Shall we have home
industry and q home market with all
their accompanying blessings, or shall we
depend upon foreign nations for all that
goes to make up our civilization? That
we can not have home industry with
out protective tariff, should be self
evident to the most unthinking citizen
that will examine the industrial history
of our own as well as that Of other ma
tions.
A revenue tariff wiped out our indus
tries in 1920. 1887 and 1857 as effectual-
" as free trade has wiped out the indus
tries of Ireland. India and Turkey. a
revenue tariff has reduced Spain and
Portugal to manufacturing nations
and to-day is the only impeachment in the
magnificent effort of Japan in attaining
q high standard of civilization.
England is often referred to. by free
traders, as an evidence of the wisdom OF
free trade.
ENGLAND Is NOT a FREE TRADE COUNTRY.
hence the delusion of so-calied prosperity
What are the facts in regard to thai
country? For 600 years England placed
the strong arm of protection in a mos
loving manner around her industries
The importation of foreign goods, raw
or manufactured as they interfered will
home interest, was punished by fines
imprisonment and death. She forbad,
the selling of her improved machiner.
and the immigration of her mechanic
to foreign countries, fearing that othe
nations might get the benefit of her ex
ner;ence. By reason of this protection
L. .....,.,,1 = tir,, Of raSt wealth thrOupl