Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-07-04
OUR TARIFF SYSTEM
EVILS WHICH THE PROTECTION
POLICY Is LEADING TO.
Thousands Of Dollars of Public Money
Used to Influence Opinion In the
United states-Example Of Irrespon'
sible Despotism.

We have had system In this coun-
try for the last forty years which is
upheld on the assumption that 1t is
the proper function of government to
look over the industrial field and
select certain industries to be made
in greater or less degree charge
upon other Industries by one legisla-
lative device or another.
To the maintenance Of this system
the Republican party has been thor
oughly and almost exclusively devoted
ever since the days of reconstruction.
The tariff has been the principal de-
vice of legislation by which certain in
dustries have been made charges upon
others, though bounties and some
other devices have from time to time
been used.
AS usual wherever this system has
been introduced the original pretense
that it is to enable struggling indus
tries to establish themselves and ac'
quire strength to go alone has been
abandoned except for campaign pur-
poses.
1t is now taken for granted that the
tariff is a thing too sacred for pro-
fame touch, and that it's beneficiaries,
who are themselves a class set apart,
like the Levites, to be kept in af-
fiuence at the expense of other classes,
must be q perpetual charge.
We have arrived at that stage under
this system where it is not only re-
garded as right and praiseworthy for
some people to amass millions by
means of tariff favoritism, but as
most reprehensible and almost sacle-
ligious for anyone to critlcise the sys-
tenn or to propose to deprive the
anointed classes of any part of the
legislative favor they have enjoyed.
From the theory that there are GER
tain Industrial classes which are On
titled to prey upon others forever
with the help of the government, 1t
is not a very long step to the theory
that despotic military government is
an excellent thing so long as it con-
Germs itself with the business of dis
tributing the favors according to the
cising suitable restraint upon those
who venture to crlticise the govern
ment and it's favorites too freely or
severely.
1t is not very surprising, therefore,
to find a Republican administration
dropping easily into the habit of
military government, adopting all lne
methods Of such government, not ex-
cepting those which the Republican
leaders so virtuously and violently
condemned when they were employed
by Spain.
1t is not surprising to find Repub-
lican administration concealing it's DO
ings in its military capacity-doings
which, according to the ideas once
universally held in this country, the
people are entitled to know.
1t is not surprising to learn, though
it evidently was not intended that the
people ever should know it, that the
military government of Cuba appked
tuOuoduuo VI VI tnC
money of that island to the purpose
of molding public opinion in the
United States and of influencing the
action of congress.
Nor is it very surprising, perhaps
that since the fact has come to light
the administration not only owns up
but defends this appropriation OF
Cuban money as proper, although the
cane sugar trust-one of the tariff
beneficiaries-was contributing liber
ally to influencing public opinion and
legislation in the same direction.
Such military methods of irresponsi
BILE despotism and such moral obtuse
ness are entirely natural products of
mat system of industrial favoritism
which in it's nature is essentially DIES.
potic.