Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-11-28
Revision of the Tariff.

It is conceded by great many men
who have given the subject impartial
thought that there should be a con
servative revision of the present tariff.
Many changes have taken place in the
condition of trade and in the cost of
manufacturing since the Dingley bill
was enacted into law; changes which
even the extreme protectionist could
not foresee.
1t is rather difficult to justify duties
on articles which are sold in the mar
kets of the world cheaper than they
can be bought at the very doors Of the
building in which they are manufac-
tured. Is it good government and in
the interests of the whole people to en-
courage the levying of duties which
enable corporation to pay handsome
dividends on overcapitalization? Let
MS take the great steel trust for exam
ample. 1t is no secret that its tangible
assets in actual value do not exceed
S275,00o,000, yet this corporation pays
comfortable dividends on sl0O0,O00,0o0
of stock, at the same time laying aside
a snug surplus for any stress of cir
cumstances which may arise III the fu.
ture The only reasonable argument
advanced by those opposed to revi-
sion Of the tariff is that such revision
may affect labor adversely The Her
aid is in favor of policy that will give
the American lahorer adequate prOtec-
ton and assure an American market
for American goods. aud il has no in
tention. even remote Of devating from
that political policy The policy which
projects our own and adds TO the com
fort and happiness Of the greatest
number Of people is always defensible
and loyal. Ia advocating sucha policy
we yield To no one There should be
no element of chance in preserving
American markets for Americans, for
the American laborer, for American m
genuity and for American money. But
under the policy of the ultra-protee-
ZIONIST some Of our industries which
have combined into trusts have deyel
oped 50 rapidly that they no longer
need the strong protecting arm of the
Dingley bill. Some of these trusts or
industries defy competition no matter
from what quarters of the globe. Many
of them have waxed 50 robust and rich
that protection 70 them is an injustice
to the people, Let US single out one
industry. How about steel rails
There is no one so unreasonable as not
to admit that this industry has grown
50 strong and lusty that protection is
no longer needed for it. Look at the
lumber interests. It is not uncommon
for lumberman 20 remark that he
made sum nearly OF wholly a. great
rs his invested capital each year dur
ing the last two or three years. This
Is even worse than the steel trust; aud
lumber IS only protected by 81 tariff
on every thousand feet of manufac-
tured lumber A tariff should be con
structed on the lines Of just protection
10 labor and to Industries which are
thrown directly into competition with
cheap foreign labor and when an in
dustry gets 80 strong that it can form
a trust or sell articles ia foreign mar
kets for less than it does at home its
output should be pat upon the free
list. Il is about time that the people
should be protected from the bunco
game q forcing them 20 pey interest
on watered stock There IS M need to
To longer nurse the nionopolistic com
binatious with their Immense blocks of