The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-25

defend the extravaganza which it engen-
ders do not hesitate to denounce the adj
minisfration of President Buchanan, be-
cause i'll its last year the appropriat tons
exceeded the sum of $8O,0O0,OO0 Our
population at that time was nearly half
what 1t is today, and if the government
was properly and frugally administered
our expenditures, including liberal pen
sions for the soldiers of the late war,
ought not, and would not, exceed the sum
of $350,0O0,0OO.
'The friends of the protective system
know that to keep the tax up they must
find some way of spending the money
which has been collected. Ii is therefore
the inevitable conclusion of collecting
money that proper ways should be found
to spend it.
THE extravaganza which necessitacst
the billion-dollar appropria tons has its
origin in the unjust system of levying
taxes for the purpose of enabling privaet
interests to impose on the people through
the favsritism Of the law"
The bill fosters trusts" is another
headline. which is explained as follows:
IF the system of unnecessary taxation
is indefensible because of the eXtrava-
gance il is encourages, il is still more so
from the trusts which 1t fosters and pro-
notes. 1T is no more certain that the
portcctloh encourages eStraVaEance tInt
1t is that 1t breeds unlawful combinations
OF capital Indeed. it ls justified upon
the theory That competition should be
restricted. True enough, il assumes the
patriotlc, prefense that foreign competi-
ton ought not to be practiced against our
home industries, but they little understand
tne seihsIness OF human nature. ana Cs-
pecially they little understand the selfish
ness OF human nature which relies on the
faroritism o. the law to increase Its FOR
tune. VINO supposes mat business men
VINO nave secured themselves against FOR
eign competition by the favoritism OF con
gress VIII fail to secure themselves
against domestic competition by volun-
tary comDinanons among themselves!
1T ls an old adage, and 1t Is as true ms
II Is oid. that competition Is the lie OF
trade, ana whatever tends to restrict com
petlfion must tend to restrict trade. lhe
majority OF the committee seem to think
1t an easy matter Tor us TO bulld tarilt
wall ABOUT our borders. ana thus prevent
the foreigners from competing WIN us.
nut they must also rcalize that What pre-
vents the foreigner from trading. with us
must also prevent MS from trading with
the foreigner we believe IN the prlnci-
pies OF c0mpetltlon ana hclieve we can
successfully compete with all other peo-
pie OF the wcr!a, and we denouhce rs II
crime against the best interests OF our
people any law which leaves the con-
sumers OF TINS land sublect 10 the eXac-
tions OF reckless ana conscichceless com
blnailons, formed 10 impose on the
puDllc.
Treating on the labor protection theory
OF me Dill, 'he report says:
Inc report OF tne coininl'tee on ways
ana means is sihgulariy slieh: on the niu
claim that these duiles are imposed iof
the beneht OF the iaborlhg men. Inc
iapor argument oi the proeCtiohist 'S"il
be treated as an hnsurdi'y Which maKes
1t amazing that II should ever nave Deen
seriously advanced. 10 say IN one
Drealn mat the weitare OF amor uepeh"s
upon lts wages ana IL wages III turn ue
pends upon ITS skili ana lh.enlgence, fnu
IN the next brcaih 20 say tha' every IN
tclligehtienu hlsh-skeiieu laporer OF l!ls
country can not successfuiiy compete WIN
me ignorant ana unskliieu faDorers Oh
the Old word; Is equlvaient TO saying tlhlt
skin ana lntell'gehce are OF no advahtaEe
TO the iaDorcrs VINO possess tneni. 40
our minds, 1t is contradiction OF history
as wen as economic 'heory 10 hoid that
skill can nor compete WIN uhskilleu ~
Dorcrs. II .his view Vi 'he qu'e.'p,i
needs lur'her suppor. 'n"n .nt iI,o h.no
statement OF IT, II can DC Iouna III 'hose
excellent works whlch assert ,nal ,ne
sklll ana ilteiiiSenGe ~ the a,i,aaia,, n5,,.n