The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-05-09
THE WEDGE OF FREE TRADE.
Cnderhand Dodgcs of the Democrats
in the Cuban Tariff EN-
broGliO.

Every free trade paper in the coun-
try is rejoicing over the Cuban tariff
concession bill in the house as a tri-
umph of their economic doctrines.
The New York Times remarks of the
passage of the bill in one branch of
congress that ''unquestionably the de-
feat leaves the protectionists in the
republican party demoralized and face
to face with united democratic party
in the house. The edge of the wedge
of tariff reform has found it's entrance,
and it may be driven far" This sort of
talk was not found in the Times or
other leading free trade journals I'M
til the bill passed the house. Previous
to that time the argument was that the
object of the bill was to save Cuba
from ruin, and that we are under some
sort of pledge to the island-whichi is
not true-to make a special tariff cut
in its behalf. But 10 sooner had the
bill passed the house than the free
trade papers throw off the mask and
break forth in eXulting chorus that
the edge of the wedge of tariff reform
is doing its work. The Times asserts
also that the "strict and tyrannical
republican machine has met with a
crushing defeat" and that the repub-
lican party is consequently democrat
lied.
If this nonsensical statement We're
true it would simply prove that the
democrats in congress, while pretend
ing to advance the interests of Cuba,
have been working series of free
trade lodges, and acting for or
against Cuban concessions according
to the free trade advantages supposed
to be at stake. False pretenses are
the stock in trade of the democratic
party as now carried on. They have
not been thinking of Cuba at all, but
have been using the name of Cuba to
obtain an entrance for the free trade
wedge. Their attempt to divide re-
publcans on the general policy of pro-
lection is ridiculous failure. A diff
ference of opinion exists among re-
publicans in congress as to granting
tariff reduction to Cuba for a short
period and for reciprocal concessions.
The proposition goes further than any
republican national platform has ever
done, since it would specially reduce
the duty on some articles that we pro-
duce ourselves. But it indicates no
weakening or division of the party on
| the fundamental principle of protec-
ton. No man can attack that plank,
which has had a place in all repub-
| lican platforms from the first, and
| claim to be republican. No republic
an in congress has assailed protection
as one of the basic doctrines of the
party, says the ST. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.
President Palma, of Cuba, has said
that a tariff concession of less than so
per cent. would be of no benefit to the
island. There is no clear understand
ing of who would be profited by any
reduction. Some say the concession
would go into the pockets of the
wealthy merchants, who are practi-
cally the owners of the next two crops
of Cuban sugar. Others contend that
the sugar trust in the United States
would be the chief beneficiary. Nobody
| says that the proposed tariff conces-
sion will make the difference of one
penny to the masses of the Cuban peo-
pie. Our friendly neighbor, Mexico, IS
doing well without special tariff dis
elimination, and Cuba, with its fine
climate and fertile soil, will be equal
ly prosperous with equally intelligent
and capable government. Let the
tariff alone for the present. Keep out
of tariff favoritism and tariff tinker
ing, and bear in mind that the demo-
Gratis are already vaporing about their
fancied success in applying the free
trade wedge.