The Colorado statesman., 1900-01-27
THELOGIC OF EVENTS.
REE-TRADE SOPHISTnY COM
PLETELY DISCREDITED.
impressive Lessons Taught by Our Ma
tional Experiences in the Past Eight
Years Under Different Economic
Systems.

statesmen in forecasting the indus
trial outlook for several years prioi
70 the enactment of the Wilson tariff
predicted the defeat Of protection tC
american industries.
For decades the country has beer
hlllng up with people from foreign
shores who, without any reflection up
On their general intelligence and mo-
rFes IN seeking a new place for in
cuStrious pursuits were ignorant OF
The government and institutions of this
republic. In this condition they easily
became the victims of the political
Snyster and demagogue. The cry of
tarlH reform" was raised and per-
Slstently exploited until a sufficient
number OF people were deceived into
fotlng against the interests of the
laborIng classes to carry the election.
during the campaigns leading up to
the catastrophes of 1890 and 1892 no
sopnlsm, falsehood or misrepresenta-
ton was unappealed to for the purpose
OF misleading the workingmen and
laD0rers. Peddlers with tinware on
their backs were started out over the
rural districts with instructions to ask
double the usual price for such goods
Upon being inquired of for the cause
OF such advanced prices, they credited
them to the Mckinley bill. Democratic
campaigners vehemently asserted that
the dinner bucket would double in
price. An ex-governor of this state
held aloft tin cup while he berated
the tariff on tin. Another ex-governor
charged the Republicans with admit
Ing diamonds free for the benefit of
the plutocrats. Both were false, and
only intended to nislead and deceive
the ignorant. Newspaper and maga-
zine writer's quoted decisions of the
supreme court of the United States
against the principle of protection to
industries, which had no more to do
with the tariff for protection than
Pixies peak with the Gulf stream.
The food tide went on, and Cleve-
land was landed in the presidency.
Then the storm began, and for four
long years the whole people suffered
as never before. Every prediction of
Republicans in the press and on the
.tump was more than verified in the
daily experience dR every business man.
Laborers were idle, factories were
closed, the cansumptive capacity of
the people declined more and more,
foreign inportatioIs grew less, COM
merce languished, the national bonded
debt largely increased, inSoivenaies
and receiveFhips vera mepa numerous
than ever, individual Indebtedness
grew as the years rolled by-all the di-
rect result Of Democratic tariff re-
form" The aggregate losses to the ma
ton have been coDservatively esti-
mated at four or five billions OF dollars
The foreign contingent could not be
schooled in the economy of protection.
except by paying this enormous tut
tion in the school of experience. The
greatest prosperity hitherto attained
was in Harrison's administration after
the passage Of the Mckinley bill If
that was great, the people clamored for
StAll uS IL CS III u duc anu
mcrce, and were led to believe that
tariff reform under Democratic ad-
would bring it, In vain
history was adduced to prove disaster !
and ruin always had followed low !
tariffs, or tariffs squirting toward free !
trade. Tariff fov revenue, a sweet !
political morsel under Democratic !
tongues, always increased the public
debt
The lesson. though long and hard
one, was learned a1 last for this gem
Grafton, and the majority of voters
wanted no more of that kind of ex-
Derience. That trinity OF administra-
Clevelands' and Nc
I<inley sandwiching dire
diversity, should be treasured as
warning precedent by every working
nan and be handed down to his latest
The lesson of this recent national
experience is that men who SO recently
lave been reversed in their prognosti-
,ations by the trend OF political events
.annot in any sense be trusted with the
solution and determination of the pro-
ounder problems of the present nor
hose which will arise in the future
Topeka Capital.