The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-02-20
Ube Daily Hromorette.
THE TARIFF.
To. pro..e.,v. r.rff :. Pssern.rl.m.
TENTH ARTICLE.

petent to manage their own affairs
and take care of themselves. The
protective tariff is founded on the
idea that it is the duty of the gov
ernment to take care of certain
classes of persons and by legisla-
ton, make them rich. If the gov
ernment takes care of one class,
why should it not take care of all
classesf Why should it not de-
ternine what is best for each class
and each personi Why should it
not say what we must do, what
we must eat, and what we must
drink If this idea of government.
interference is correct, what be-
comes of the idea that the peo-
pie are competent to attend to
their own affairs9 If this is true,
if the people are incompetent to
manage. and take care of their own
individual affairs and private busi-
ness concerns, without the aid of
the government, then, how is it
possible for them to be competent
to manage the government and
govern themselvesi The position
that the government ought to in
terfere with and take part in the
management of the business con-
Germs of the people, necessarily
carries with it the position that
the people are incapable of self
government and that power should
be taken from them and vested in
favored classes. This is the idea
upon which the protective tariff is
based and upon which our govern
ment is now operated. In the
management of the affairs, of the
government, which is nothing
more or less than the peoples busi
ness, the president of the United
States and the members Of his cab
met never think of consulting the
people, but send for gold bug ma
tional bankers and millionaire pro-
tected manufacturers. 1t is true
that before each election a show is
made of consulting the people.
Party platforms are adopted But
these platforms, like the platforms
of a passenger car, are not made
to stand and travel on, but are
made to get in on. The result is
that the policy of our government
is shaped by favored classes and
the officers of the government are
only so many figure heads who
dance and bow as they are ordered
by financial aristOcracy built up by
the protective tariff and supported
by the gold standard. That the
protective tariff is responsible for
this may be denied, but the truth
fulness of the statement is suscep-
tible of mathematical demonstra-
tion, just as we know beyond a
doubt that two and two make four
Let us see. The protective tariff
goes upon the idea that the Amer
lean people are incompetent to
manage their private concerns,
and must lean for support upon
the government; that the people
cannot carry on their private busi-
ness affairs without aid from
the government; that the govern
ment knows better than the people
what the people need and how
they ought to manage their busi-
ness. 1t repudiates the principle
of our fathers that the people
ought to manage and support the
government and announces the
un-American idea the government
ought to manage and support the
people. By this means it destroys
the Individual enterprise and
self-reliance of the people. In
stead of relying upon their own
strong arms, bright intellect and
brave hearts, as our father did,
the protective tariff has taught the
people to rely upon the govern
ment. Herein it strikes a
death blow at the very heart
soul of democratic government
Democracy teaches that the
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