The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-10-12

perity means the peoples adversely.
The theory and practice protective
tariff legislation inaugurated the most
vicious principle of class legislation by
absolutely destroying the equality of
our citizens before the law, establish
ing the practice of discrimination in
legislation and creating an octopus
incubator for the breeding of trusts and
the development of the resistant spir-
its of Imperialism and militarism.
But to thinking minds, the original
twins are the parents of the whole
train of national evils. The prUtec-
tive tariff theory, put into practice,
created the means aud opened up the
way, and the creation of the national
banks not only established an example
but provided an invaluable assistant in
the wholesale establishment of an
army of trusts. The national bank act
really created the first trust-lhe
money trust; and the protective tariff
legislation of the last forty years en-
abled the money trust to spread It's
octopus wings and take in everything
in sight; and fattened upon the fruits
of evil legislation until they had en-
yeloped this county, and they longed
to reach out for other territory and to
have a large standing army to enforce
their dominion in other lands; and
J thus their uprighteous otlspriugs, inn
I perialism and militarism, were born.
The tariff laws barred out fore gu
competition and trust combinations
destroyed comp titiun ut home, aud in
/ this way they have been able to pocket
the full margin of additional profits
which the schedule of tariff rates made
possible. That schedule makes p, ssh
bic al average additional profit of 50
per cent, which though the mockery
Of law, the American people are COM
pellmg themselves to pay to national
hooters. And the hooters have the au-
dacity to claim, and alas, some of our
people have the stupidity to believe
that the whole tariff system is based
upon the an undying devotion to the
interests Of American labor, forgetting
that the excluding tribute is placed by
the law uIon the products of labor,
which is the property of the manufac.-
ucr and not upon the labor itself,
which is the property Of the men. If
the theory of protection were TO be eX-
ere scd in the interests Of American
labor it would have to be leveled ut the
eXcluoion Of: its foreign competitor,
but instead of levying a tariff tax on
Immigration, the flood gates have been
left wide open for its open access of
the home market Of American labor,
aud the American laburer would have
been reduced to the iow-wage level of
the poorest paid labor of the world but
for its organization.
The American laborer has allowed
himself to be injured by this form Of
class legislation, and he is allowing
himself to be iusurted by being told
that this injury is great boon and
blessing, which dist terested Repub-
lican party is lavishing upon him.
The tendencies Of the times bode un-
told evils to onr country, and it be
hooves Americans to think, talk and
act before it is cverlastiagly too late.
-Four years more Of the present tenden-
cies will take away from all but the
/ favored few any voice whatever i'm the
management of American affairs. The
downfall of McKinleyism is the only
possible preservation of our country
and its free institutions. Is your
shoulder to the wheel?