West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-09-05
THE TARIFF DILEMMA.
The Republican Machine In an
Uncomfortable Situation.
IT Would NOT STAY SETTLED.

The People Arc LcnrnlnR "a Few
Things About the DinLicY MN nnd
the Trusta-Thc Reciprocity Dodge
rroposcd-ENpnnSiou II Also Dis
turbinH tho Protection Policy,
The unexpected often happens In
politics. When the Republicans en-.
acted the Dinglcy tariff hill, they said
it settled the tarln question aud that
the policy OF protection would not
again bc disturbed. They claimed that
prosperity Is dependent upon the main.
taIning of the protection wall they
have SO carefully erected. But sud
denly suuc OF the most pronounced
friends OF protection express their pur-
pose uf making breach In the wall
and the whole tariff matter Is again
brought up for discussion 10y the very
men who said lt was settled FOR all
time. The enormous growth OF trusts
aul mouopolics under the protection
granted them 10y the Republicans was
forctold 10y tho Democrats when the
DlnglCy bill was enacted and now That
the people are being aroused by the fact
that the foreigners are buying trust
productions FOR less than they are the
allies OF the trusts I'm congress- are I'm
n dilemma. They must cut Off protcc-
ton from tho trusts or the prospect OF
defeat starcs them In the face. But TO
acknowledge they are wrong and that
their theory of protection is at fault
Is another awkward prcdicament and
tic great majority OF the Republicans
under the leadership OF Hanna and the
president have determined to cvadc tho
straits they are In 10y the unconstltu-
tional and roundabout way OF reclproc-
ity.
But reciprocity Will not accomplish
what the people are demanding. that
protection be withdrawn from the
trusts. There ia another danger loom
Ing up To disarrnnRe the protection
theory, aud the only way that can bc
avcrtcd IL by giving up the colonies
that have been acquired by tho cN-
penditurc OF such vast sums and the
sacrifice OF SO many lives. This the
Nashville American discusses when Il
says; after a delay for which there
was no defense free trade has been cs-
tablished with Porto Rico. The coun-
try has finally performed lts plain
duty ms pointed ont by President Nc
Klnley before he signed the Porto Rico
tariff bill Free trade between all
American possessions Is policy which
no party can afford 10 ignore or defy.
When the Republican party. through
force OF circumstances which no party
could control, accepted ana adopted the
old Democratic policy of territorial eX-
panslon, IL entered upon policy which
ls the enemy OF a tariff policy. Expan-
sion aud free trade go together. Sc
we're blow was struck tho Republican
policy OF protective tarln when
Dewcy's guns In Manila bay gave to
this country the Philippine archipelago
and when the war with Spain gave us
Porto Rico and paved the way for the
ultimate annexation Of Cuba. Free
trade has been established with Porto
Rico. and free tEadc with the philip.
pines must follow. IT Is Inevitable.
Expansion Is an entering wedge which
must eventually rive asundcr the
tariff wall erected by Republican lcgls-
lntlOn. The tobacco ana cane aud beet
sugar ana rice ana fruit growers may
succeed in delaying free trade with the
Philippines. as they have delayed for
q time free trade with Porto Rico. but
thc time Is not far away when trade
VIII bc na free between the Philippines
and the United States rs II Is between
the states OF the American union. And
tie time Is coming when there will bc
free trade with Cuba also. The logic
of events will force free trade in other
directions"
The only way tie people win ever get
any relief from the tariff tax and the
eNtortlon Of the protected trusts Is by
revising the tarln ON the Democratic
principle of a tnrin for rcvnuc only
large enough 70 produce what money
the government requires economically
administered. Protection Is the mother
of trusts and must go the way OF all
mOuoUO4iog