The Augusta union., 1900-01-27
THE LOGIC OF EVENTS.
FREE TRADE soPHIsTs COMPLETELY
DlScREDITED.


Eight Years Under Two Different
Economic Systems.
Statesmen in forecasting the indus
trial outlook for several years prior to
the enactment of the Wilson tariff pre-
dicted the defeat of protection to
American industries.
For decades the country has been
filling up with people from foreign
shores who, without any reflection
upon their general intelligence and
motives in seeking new place for
industrious pursuits, were ignorant
of the Government and institutions
of this Republic. In this condition
they easily became the victims of the
political shyster and demagogue.
The cry of ''tariff reform" was raised
and persistently exploited until a
sufficient number OF people were de-
ceived into voting against the inter-
ests of the laboring classes to carry
the election. During the campaigns
leading up to the catastrophes of
1890 and 1892 no sophism, false
hood or misrepresentation was un-
appealed to for the purpose of mis-
leading the workingmen and labor
ers. 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. Demo
cratic campaigners vehementlY as
serted 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 admitting diamonds free for the
benefit of the plutocrats. Both were
false and only intended to mislead and
deceive the ignorant. Newspapers
and magazine writers quoted decis-
ions of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States against the principle of
! protection to industries, which had
no more to do with the tariff for pro-
lection 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
stump in the campaigns preceding his
election was more than verified in the
daily experience OF every business
man. Laborers were idle, factories
were closed, the consumptive capacity
Of the people declined more and more,
foreign importations grew less, com
merce languished, the national bonded
debt largely increased, insolvencies
and receiverships were more numer-
Gus than ever, individual indebted
ness grew as the years rolled by-all
the direct result of Democratic tariff
reform" The aggregate losses to the
nation have been conservatively estis
mated at four to five billions Of 3ol-
lars.
The foreign contingent could not be
schooled in the economy Of protection,
except by paying this enormous tuition
in the school Of p4rienge. The
greatest prosperity a.taartS attained
was HaErisoo lmili ssration after
Sac paasage q tla seA Anley bill. If
j.ht vas greas, As6 people clamored
lor stlii eateFngures in trade and
e0iuta cree and were led to believe that
tariff reform under Democratic ad
ministration 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 for revenue" a sweet
political morsel under Democratic
tongues, always increased the public
debt.
The lesson, though long and hard
one, was learned at least for this gen.
Grafton, and the majority of voters
wanted no more of that kind of ex-
perience That trinity of adninistra-
tions - Harrison's, Cleveland's and
McKinley's - prosperity sandwiching
dire adversity, should be treasured as
warning precedent by every work
ingman and be handed down to his
latest posterity.
The lesson of this recent national
experience is that men who so recently
have been reversed in their prognostl-
cations by the trend of political events
cannot in any sense be trusted with
the solution and determination of the
profounder problems of the present
nor those which will arise in the
| f,,L,,-o -H1opolyo TapitaI