The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-10-23
MR.. BRYAN'S TARIFF DODCINC

llt VI MI. W ulSCuSS
the tariff question is causing comment
unfavOrable to him. In view of the
fact that while in congress Mr.. Bryan
was one of the most radical advocates
of tariff reduction. in order to cheaper
prices for the benefit of the people,
whereas now he is urging thar prices
are too low, very naturally suggests
that he was either insincere then III
his plea for the people or he is inSil-
cere now. Cheapness was then the
great desideratum with him. he
rallied against the tariff robbers" and
urged that reduction of duties was
necessary to give the people needed re-
lief in lower prices for what they con-
sumed. 1t was not the currency. but
the economic policy of the Republican
party which Mr.. Bryan then regarded
as the source of all ills. In 4 speech
in the House of Representatives in 1882
Mr.. Bryan characterized protection as
Il cannibal tree which had crushed the
farmers within its folds and declared
that the only thing needed to give rc-
lief to the farmers and to the masses
of the people was tariff reform. Their.
was no trouble with the currency.
which was the some then that it is
now. The whole trouble was with the
tariff
Referring TO the attitude of Mr. Bry-
an when in Congress and his present
attitude, the New York Times says:
For some years and up to recent
date. Mr.. Bryan. in and out of Con-
gress. earnestly and constantly de-
handed great reduction of tariff
duties and urged that many dutiable
products should be placed upon the
free list because. as he contended. the
prices of the necessarieS of life ought
to be reduced for the benefit of the
people. The tariff. he said, made
prices fundamentally and unjustly
high; the interests of the masses re-
quired that these prices and the cost
of living should be cut down. Now he
asserts that the prices of the nece.ssar-
les of life are very much too low and
that they were too low at the very
time when he was saying that they
were too high and was eXerting his in
f1uence to reduce them. He proclaims
the doctrine that the cost of those
things by which life is sustained
should be increaSed-nOt ecreaSed-by
legislation and advocates policy de-
signed to increase it. 1t was, he said.
for the benefit of the masses that he
then called for legislation that would
decrease this cost; it is, he says, for
the benefit of the masses that he now
demands legislation that will increase
it, Why should he not desire to avoid
any discussion or any expression Of
opinion that would exhibit this differ
ence and this evidence of incOnsis-
tency? Mr.. Bryan in 1892 and in 1894
did his part and did it we'll in deluding
the people regarding the tariff and he
does not now dare attempt defense of
his course. the disastrous effects Of
which are known to everybody. He is
now engaged in another effort to de-
Jude and mislead the people, but what
he now proposes is far more dangerous
to the welfare and prosperity of the
country than the policy of tariff reduc-
ton he advocated in Congress, in order
to reduce prices. That policy has done
great harm to all interests and espec-
tally to the agricultural and the labor
interests. but it is trifling in compari-
son to the injury that would be
wrought by the free coinage of silver.
Mr.. Bryan has the very best of reasons
for avoiding discussion Of the tariff
question. He cannot defend the re-
suits of the policy for which he IS in
part responsible. Having deceived the
people once to their immeasurab BILE
loss. will he be allowed to do so again?
NO one can think so who has any faith
IN popular ntelliGence-Omaha Bee