The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-08-22
REPUBLICAN TARIFF DILEMMA
Enormous Growth of rrasts aaa
Moaopofies tsdrF Protection
staHEerH Them.


The unexpected often happens In
politics. When the republicans enact
ed the DinRlcy tariff bill they said IL
settled the tariff question and that the
policy Of protection would not again
be- disturbed. They claim that pros
pcrity Is depe ndent upon the main
tanning Of the protection wall they
have so carefully erected. Hut sud
denly some of the most pronounced
friends OF protection express their
purpose Of making a breach in the
wall, and the whole tariff matter Is
again brought up for discussion by the
very men who said II was scttled for all
time. The enormous growth Of trusts
and monnpolies under the protection
granted them by the republicans was
foretold by the democrats when the
pingley bin was enacted, and now 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 In congress are
In q dilemma. They must cut on pro.
lection from The trusts or The prospect
of defeat siares then, IS the face, hut
10 acknowledge they are wrong and
that their theory of protection Is at
fault Is another predicamcnt. and the
great Majority Of the republicans. I'M
der the leadership ~ Hanna and the
president, have determined to evade
The strait they are IN nv the unconsti-
lutionni and roundabout way OF reci-
prncity.
hut reciprocity will not accomplish
what the people are demanding, that
protection I've withdrawn from the
irustE. There Is another danger
looming up 10 disarranRc the protcc-
ton theory, and the only way that
can be nvcrted is by giving up the
colonies that have been acquired by
the expenditure 81 such vast sums
and the sacrifice Of so many lives
This the Nashville American dis.
russrs when II says; after q delay
for which there was no defense free
trade has brrn established with
Port" Rico. The country has finally
al ont by President Mckinley he.
fore he signed the Torto Rico tariT
bill Free trade between all Ameri.
can possessions is policy which no
party can afford TO ignore ar defy.
When the republican party. through
force Of circumstances which no
party could control, accepted and
adopted the oid democratic policy Of
territorial expansion. IL entered upon
a policy which is the enemy Of tar
n policy, Expansion and free trade
20 together. 4 severe blow was
struck the republican policy Of a pro.
trctivc tarifT WHEN Drwry's guns In
Manila hay gave 90 this country thr
Ihilippin" archipelago, and when the
war with Spain gave ~ Porto Rico
aud paved the way for the ultimate
annexation Of Cuba. Free trade has
been established with Porto Rico,
and free trade with the Philippines
must follow. II is inevitable. Ev-
pmr-inu Is AN entering wedg' which
mut eventually drive nsuud"r the
|h|tN NalN fA'flfh ~ lffhtAthh l'E
i.latiou. The tobacco and cane and
beet sugar and rice and fruit grow
crs may succeed in delaying free
trade with the Philippines, IA they
have delayed for time free trade
with Porto Rico. but the time Is not
far away when trade will h. a. free
between the Philippines aud the
United States as u Is between the
states of the American union. And
the time is coming when there will he
free trade with Cuba also. The logic
Of events will force free trade In 9th.
cr directions"
The only way the people will ever
pet any relief from .le tRriff tax and
the cvtortion 81 the protected trusts
is by revising the tariff on tne demo.
cratic principle Of a tariff for revenue
only large enough to produce what
money the government requires
economically administered. Protcc-
tinn Is the mother Of trusts and must
go the way OF all monupoicS