The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-08-03
THE GERNAN TARlFF BILE

OCuNAN bNQAA1bO4 80
lin papers, fills q phamphlet of i6i
pages. Heavy duties are imposed up
on many articles of which America |;
the principal exporter. Without IN
dertakiug any detailed account Of
the bill 1t is sufficient to state thai
it imposes additional burdens of taxa
ton on articles from America and
therefore makes it necessary for the
German consumer to pay higher for
what he gets and it is likewise a barrier
TO prevent exports from this country.
The bill may be considered as the
opening up of tariff wars and 8 hind
rance to commercial treaties
This bill is the result Of q sharp agi-
tation against many of our products
which has been carried on for several
years IN Germany and is 3 concession
upon the part of the German govern
uent to the party that has been keeping
up and forcing this agitation.
The German people are awakening
to the knowledge that il a tariff is such
e good thing for the United States to
keep out competition from other coun-
tries and thus build up home indus
tries, it would also be a good thing for
Germany. They are simply learning
Dur trick and are giving US the same
kind of treatment now that we lave
been giving them for q number of
years under our high tariff system. Up
to the lime OF the Mckinley tariff for
protection policy of this government
the most radical tariff protectionists Of
the republican party did not advocate
q tariff much above about fifty per
cent Of the Mckinley. Once start the
protection theory and the bigger the
infant protected industry becomes the
more protection it wants. 1t a little
protection Is a good thing more pro-
lection is better. The republican
party depending as it has been on the
protected industries for its enormous
slush fund by which it has managed,
thus far TO maintain itself in power,
has gone on from year to year pro-
tecting and aiding these protected in
dustries, which have formed themselves
into combinations and trusts, yielding
to their greedy demands to the detri-
ment of the interests of the masses. In
its eagerness to serve the trusts it has
gone 80 far in Its trust breeding policy
that it has ignored the reciprocal rights
Of other nations in the great business
Of commercial intercourse.
1t has cause to be aroused in these
foreign nations a spirit OF resentment
which will sooner or later make itself
felt in the form of retaliatory tariffs as
in the case of the German bill under
consideration. This ls only a beginning
Of what we may expect if this govern
ment continues to act upon the same
aggressive, one sided and narrow policy
in its dealings with other natious.
Not only is this policy productive Of
resentment and retaliation upon the
part of other nations, but il Is likewise
a policy that is grinding down the
masses of the honorable millions O
toiling citizens and despoiling them Of
their hard earned means to enrich the
Golfers of the few favored minions o.
Hanna and his moneyed aristocracy.
Hanna has issued his fiat upor
tariff reform IN the republican party
and although there is a large conser,
Vative element among the republican,
that realize the necessity of such a re.
form, their voices will not be heedeC
in the councils of the party. 1t is t.
democracy alone that the people mus
look for relief and 1904 should see {
turning down of the party that hai
been the author Of these conditions anC
the placing of the reins of the govern
ment IN the hands Of democracy, tn,
party Of the people.
Ex-Governor Stephens is contribut