The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-09-01
The Trusts and the Tariff

From The Philadelphia Ledger, Republican
While the political parties Nfangie OTef Tie
question " whether anti-imperiziisn OF s05nd
money II the JraIBDnnt issue 81 the eimpsisn, The
InOnOJoiatie trusts continue their Oppression 81
the American There l. scarcely e''fn-
n6iItY which Il essential " The health and COM
fort II the community that Il not the subjsct 81
monopoly absolutely Or To n large DEGREES. seariJ
every trDst u capitalized greatly ia exeess 81 the
value 81 its plants, and 10 pay dividends upon
1atersd stOcks and 10 compensate the former own
ers Of mills that closed 70 destroy competition
excessive prices are charged while labor is held
down 10 a minimum 81 remuneration. The El4IIip-
nation that IL practeei by those who control The
chief manufacturing Industries u the country il
egdeneesi in the condition 81 fIge iron market.
Eighteen months ago, without any publication
whatever prices were rziset ia many ihstanees NJ
high zsI0o PER cent with the reaction prices have
fallen, although SIN higher than u reasonable
level. aud thousands 81 WORKING men haze been
deprived Of employment
Although Tie tariff rates are being maintained.
with 10 real prospect Of abatement. the trusts are
selling millions Of their pfoIncis abroad In com
petition with foreiyDer& The European gels
American gods nj llir price. but tic domestic
consumer IL unduly taxed 10 swell the profits Of
monopoly The Republican platform 0f1s9s inter
preted the protective principle equally oppo,ed
10 foreign control and domestic monopoly. The
party has made no effort whatever u curb this
monopoly, while Marx Hanna. The high priest
Of trade combinations declares that trusts bene
hcent The platform Of 1910 makes no intimation
that domestic monopoly II antag0nstfe 10 the Re
publican principle 81 protection In one place 1t
extOlis protection and in another condemns mo-
nOpoly. but II keeps these destinations apart pro-
baby with a view 10 avoid the otherwise obvious
efiticism that the tifig should h. revised in order
10 remove the prop from The exaeions 81 the rapa
cous trusts. The con'niner !. appareniy helpless
The profession Of the Republican platform respect
Ing monopoly IL insineere.
The gratifying increase in our exports Of manu-
featured articles Is due not merely TO the needs Of
foreigners but 10 The ability 81 mills to com.
pete with European manufacturers in their own
markets Under the circumstances. the effect Of
the Dlngley Tariff schedules Is to protect Aneri-
can labor, bat to enable American capital 10 de-
mand nn exhorbilant profit The theory of protec-
tlOn, held steadily by the Wing party throughout
It's career and by the Republican party until re.
Gently II TINT tariff should be laid upon imports
sufficient "a compenaite The American employer
for The higher wages he pays his workInen. This,
In theory AMI Ia practice. Is thrown ~ the
winds % practical a man Andrew Carnegie
ays that the iron Industry of the United States
needs no protection or at least but nominal tariff
years have been able 10 induce Congress to permit
the trusts and moDopoIists 10 write the tariff
schedules Themselves