Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-05-07
THURSDAY. MAY Z, 1903.
EASILY ANSWERED.

President Roosevelt and Secretary ROOT
are justified in claiming that the prosperity
of the country is chiefly due to the Dingley
tariff, as "every protective law enacted by
the Republicans has been followed with
like happy conditions" Indeed, is that
80?
What about the Mckinley law? Was |
not that law in full force and effect when |
the almost unparalleled trade depression |
of 1893 came upon the country?
Did not the panic of 1873 come upon the
country while it was enjoying a Repub |
lican high tariff policy?
Was not the country in q more prosper.
Gus condition wien the Democrats went
out of power in the spring of 1889 than
when the Republicans went out Of power
in the spring of 1898?
These be plain questions which we shall
be pleased to have eur contemporary pain
ly answer. We assert that every panic
that has come upon the country, since the
Civil War, has come upon it under the
operation of Republican protective tarlh'
Aud we challenge our contemporary to
disprove that assertion.
Letus keep the facts of history straight. "
We shall be pleased 10 answer thesc
questions of our esteemed contemporary,
and we would be delighted, if it were pos
sible, for every honest, intelligent citizen
in Virginia to read our answers and honest
ly determine whether they are substantial
and true.
In response TO the first question we will
say, that the Mckinley law was "in full
force and effect when the unparalleled trade
depression came upon the country" But
under the Influence of the Mckinley law
We also saw the most unparalleled era OF
prosperity this country had then ever ex'
perienced, the year 1892 being q record
breaker.
Grover Cleveland was elected on free
trade platform in the Fall Of 1892, and for
the first tine in thirty years the Free
Traders had abs lutte control of the Execu
tive and Legislative branches of the Fed
eral Government. Capital became alarm
ed and terrible industrial eclipse immed
ately followed that election. The Wilson
German Tariff was put in force, and The
years grew darker and the misery more in
tense until the election of Mckinley il
1895, with a Congress to restore the pro
tectve tariff that hal, for more than twenty
years prior to 1898, been productive ofth(
most wonderful internal upbuilding ant
- external activity that had ever beer
known in the commercial history of any
nation.
About the year 1870 the Republican
tariff and industrial policy began to be &C.
lively pushed; and then commenced the
industrial and commercial development
that has astounded the world. In 1870
the domestic or internal trade of the Uni
ted States amounted to $1,000, 900.
Last year it amounted to tie enormous
sum Of $50 900, 100000. In 1870 our ex-
port trade amounted to 1876, 100000. In
1892 it had grown to 81 ,S55, 100000. The
imports in 1870 were S436, OOO,O 900, and in
1892 they amounted to 1908, 100000
This immense growth in our domestic
and foreign trade has been made while the
free traders have been asserting that a
protective tariff was destroying both classes
of trade.
In reply 10 the second question of our
contemporary, we admit that the panic of
1873 came while the country was enjoying
high tariff policy. Perhaps, that accounts
for the facts that the panic was of brief
duration and was more local than general
in its effects. 1t was panic which affect
ed spectators, chiefly, and was very differ
ent in its nature from the unparalleled
trade depression" which began with the
advent of the free trade party to power in
1898, and which continued to progress IN
an aggravated form until the people came
to their senses and restored the Repub-
licans TO full control of the Government.
In 1873 there was no dimnution in our
foreign and domestic trade, and there was
as much railroad, in miles, built that year
az was built during any two years of MIR.
Cleveland's last administration. Besides,
there was surplus revenue put in the La.
tional treasury that year to the amount Of
$43 1895, $3.50, while the deficiency in the
revenue under the depression during
Cleveland's administration was $69,009,
26O for 1894, $42, 800, 26O for 1895 and $685.
2O3, 246 for 1896. Cleveland bad to sell
bonds to raise money to help defray the
general expenses oftEe government, as did
James Buchan IN, under free trade tariff
for the last years of his administration.
We think if the Virginian- Pilot will COM
pare the effects of the panic of 1873 with
the results that came from the trade de-
preston that prevailed from 1893 TO 1897,
it will rot be 80 quick in calling attention
again to panics.
The answer TO the third question Cf our