Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-05-22
A SHORT CATECHlSM.
I'm Which the History OF Recent
Tariff Legislation Is Briefly
(.tyen-FaCtA 10 Remember.

/
in lSSS to reform the high tariff"
at did. All the leaders OF that
party were pledged to tariff REFORM"
"How did the Republican Congress
fulfill the prediction promise.?'
by enacting the Mckinley tariff,
which raised duties far higher than
they had ever been before"
"What was the immediate result OF
the new TARIFF
"a general increase in the cost o!
all articles on which taxes had been
raised"
"Did the people approve OF policy
which increased the prices of goods?"
"No; they protested against higher
taxes and elected House of Repre-
sentatives with a great Democratic
majority"
"Was the country more prosperous
after the Mckinley law went into OPP
eration?"
"Instead of bringing prosperity the
increased tariff was followed by gen.
eral unsettlement OF industry. Fac
tories were closed down, wages re-
duced and many thousands of workers
were idle"
"What was the popular opinion in
regard to the effects of the high tariff
after two years trial?"
"That it was an oppressive and I'M
just measure, which should be re-
pealed as promptly as possible"
"How was this shown?"
"By the triumphant election of a
Democratic President on a platform
which denounced the protective tariff
as robbery of the many for the bene-
fit OF few"
"What was the condition of trade
and industry during the latter part OF
1892, while the Republican Admiuis-
tration was still in officer"
every depressed, mills closing
down, failures increasing and wages
falling"
odd business improve during
1882"
"By no means. That year wit
messed one of the most disastrous
panics the country has ever exper-
fenced. Hundreds of banks failed,
manufacturing was everywhere sus-
pended and industrial stagnation and
bankruptcy prevailed all over the
country"
"How long did this condition Of af-
fairs last?"
"Until September, 1884,"
"Was the Mckinley tariff in full
operation during all this period?"
cit was"
"When did the Democrats enact q
lower tariff law?"
"In July, 1894"
"When did it 60 into effect?"
cat the end of August, in the same
year."
"How was business affected by the
Wilson tariff"
"Factories long closed started up
again, idle men found work, mer-
chants felt an increased demand for
goods, and the country began to rap
idly recover from the long-continued
depression"
"How was this shown?"
"By the testimony of trade journals,
the commercial agencies, reports OF
State bureaus of statistics, and the
facts published daily by the PRESS"
"Were wages reduced, as had been
predicted by the Republicans9"
"Not in a single instance. On the
contrary in the year following the
passage of the Wilson tariff nearly q
million workers had their wages ad.
vanced from 10 to IS per cent"
"Had anything of the kind been re-
corded under protection?"
"Never."
"How did the Republicans explain
the increased prosperity under the re-
duced tariff"
"Some resorted to lying, declaring
that business was worse instead OF
better. Others admitted a great i'm
provement but that it was due to the
belief that q protectionist President
would take Office in 1897"
"What does this brief history OF re-
cent tariff changes prove"
"That higher protection was fol-
lowed by tremendous panic, which
lasted until a moderate tariff brought
la business revival and restored pros
perity."
"In view of these facts what excuse
is there for the Republican agitation
in favor OF again adopting the McKin-
ley tariff"
Absolutely none."
"Will the people be foolish enough
to vote for the party which broke its
promises of the campaign of 1888, and
inflicted so much loss and suffering
on the countryf"
Hardly. They have learned some.
thing by sad experience and will, this
year, as in 1892, support the party oil
low taxes and good times"