The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-07-25
The Outlook for Free Trade.


date for the office of President, the
democratic party has unwlitlngly ana
unwilI1nelv forced to the front the issue
of Protection against Free-Trade. As
nroof of this it is only necessary to re-
fer to Mr.. Brvan's Tariff record in Con-
gress, during his brief experience there
as a member of the House OF REPRE-
sentatives, and, in order that the
friends af Protection may have an OPP
porturIitv to refresh their memories IN
this respect, we publish this week some
extracts from his speeches delivered
during the second session of the Fifty
third Congress when the Wilson bill
became law.
BRYAN is an out and out Free Trader.
He was dissatisfied even with the orig
inal Wilson bill before it received the
SIX hundred amendments that finally
enabled its passage through the United
States Senate. He regards "a Tariff OF
10 per cent. levied purposely for Pro-
lection" as being Just as indefenslble
as a Tariff of a thousand per cent.
of the original Wilson bill he said: |
think the duties all the way through
this bill are higher than necessary"
But, low as they were, he viewed it as
"step in the right direction. He
also said, " / am for free wool" Again
" / believe in free iron ore" Again:
tThe duty on coal is indefensible.
These brief quotations will enable all
friends of Protection to appreciate the
imminent danger to every American
wage Garner and every American indus
try that would arise through the cleo
ton of Mr.. Bryan to the Presidency.
1t is qpite possible that he may attempt
to eyade anv discussion of the tariff
question during the campaign, or 10 re-
fer to it as briefly as possible. But this
must not be permitted. Wherever or
whenever Mr.. Bryan, or any other
Democrat, may chance to speak during
the ensuing months, every friend of
Protection should see that the Demo
cratic candidates position on the Tariff
question is clearly questioned and as
clearly defined. His utter hostility TO
American labor and to American indus
try must be exposed at every oppor-
tunity.
Contrast the words Of the Democratic
demagogue with those Of Hon. William
Mckinley which we publish as our
leading editorial; when there is work
there is wages, and when there is work
wage earners are consumers, who con-
tribute the best market for the products
of our soil" How Mr.. Bryan could
make the Western farmers believe to
the contrary-that idle wage earners
can contribute the best market for the
products Of our soil''-it will be inter
esting to observe He would close
every coal and iron mine, he would let
our lumber come from Canada. our
wool from Australia, and the clothes
we wear from Europe-or else he would
insist that All American labor. en-
ployed in all such American industries,
Ire paid only at such 10 y rates of wages
as are earned by labor engaged in
similar occupations abroad. Yet these
low wages, he says, would contribute
the best market for the products of our
soil"
We have no fear that our farmers
will be deceived by any such illogical
arguments or visionary reasoning. 1t
captiyaatGd them '' in lYA2, aha tie Said
results of the experience into which
they were then beguilded still confronts
them. But Mr.. Bryan is clever
speaker and, unless his fallacies be
promptly and universally exposed, he
is likely to carry away some of his audi
ences to his own way of thinking. To
countcract such efforts will be the work
of The American Protective Tariff
League. 1t will be our aim to watch
and closely follow the Democratic nom
inee throughout the campaign and re-
flute his direct statements in favor of a
policy of Free-Trade by the incontro-
vertiblc facts which have time and
again, proven That the policy of Protec-
ton Is the only safe and proper policy
for the United States These facts we
4 Will endeayor to place before every
American voter and we look to all
| friends OF Protection to help us in do
ing this work-a work that VIC regard as
/ of grave necessity and OF more than
ordinary Importance because of the ex-
/ IRENE radlcalism of the many views
i held by the Democratic nominee for
4 President, and the fact that these views
exist L. a large extent throughout the
Western and Southern section of the
country.
The coming Presidential campaign is
4 the most important that we have en-
/ tered upon since The American PrOtec-
tive Tariff League was established. 1t
will be an active, vigorous and agrees
i've campaign. 1t will be a campaign OF
work, and We ask every friend of Pro-
lection to promptly aid US in achieving
an overwhelming victory for Hon.
! VIM. Mckinley, the champion of Pro-
lection, and for all Republican Con-
gressmen, and an equally overwhelm-
ing defeat for Hon. William j. BRYAN,
the Democratic champion of Free
Trade, for all Democratic Congress
men, and for everything else that is
contrary to the spirit of the Constitu-
ton of the United States.
VIII Be Nominated Again.