Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-10-21

gives 1t to another without any compen-
sation therefor. This is not one, of the
purposes for which governments were in
stttuted. 1t Ill becomes a republic found
ed on equality to require one citizen to
pay tribute to another. This Is one of
the studies of the school that l describ-
ed to you in the beginning in which the
people are students. 1t Is not theory.
1t Is fact.
They say to you at this hour that
You are prosperous, that you are obtain
Ing good prices, and why do you wish a
changer You wish 1t because the pres
Sent rule makes the rich richer, without
corresponding benefit to the consumer.
ThereS can be no such thing MS perma-
nent prosperity IL in the division of
profits one of the partners retains all
the benefit.
People Interested In Taxation.
My friends, the question of taxation
and what YOU shall pay to the support
of your government, is one in which ey-
cry citizen, irrespective Of party, is in
terested. Why should there be ques-
tion of party between you and me, resi-
dents of the great State Of Iowa, engag-
ed chiefly In agriculture, upon the propo-
sition Of equal taxation? But the ques-
ton whether L shall support you is an
entirely different proposition. The ques-
tion whether the government shall lend
Its aid to assist industries to thrive ut
tho expense of the general public is one
80 fraught with evil that 1t is only part
nership and partnership in the benefits
of the policy that induce men to refuse to
discuss it. A party unwilling to submit
to the people at any time the question of
approving or of disappearing such pol
Icy, whether before or after u presiden-
tial election, Is not sure of its petition,
and is unworthy of support.
"The tariff policy of the United States
Is a selfish one. Its promoters are men
who believe In upbuilding their own for
tunes. They are not looking after the
interests of the farming and producing
class, although nearly seventy per cent
of the export trade of the United States
{ IL the product OF agriculture.
"All tariff laws should he enacted on
a strictly revenue basis. Any other the
DRY of leyying taxation is contrary to
the letter of the constitution and to the
spirit of free institutions. Congress is
and ought to be without power to tax
you IOr my peueut
Protection is but a tribute levied up
on thrift and industry to support and
maintain in wealth and idleness.
why should pay higher price in
order to enable another to make larger
proft7 might MS well pay you $1.2O
for an article worth $1.O0 that you may
continue in business. A protective tariff
Is a tax upon consumption and It is un-
worthy of any nation that bases Its right
to legislate upon the great, truth that all
men are equal The consumer Is not
benefited by a protective tariff, he is in
jured by it.
Tariff Rrecis Trusts.
1.-THE tariff is the basis Of all trusts,
There can be and is no serious question
on this proposition. The trouble is and
has been that our people have not vet
given to the trust question the serious
attention it deserves. The inevitable
consequence of combination is the elimi.
nation Of competition. Sorry, indeed, will
be the hour in the great American re-
public when, competition Is a thing Of
the past The trust magnate of this day
and age desires combination for the pur.
pose, first, of economy, and secondly, to
control the output No serious objection
is had to the combination that exists for
economy. In this day and age it is one
of the necessary. adjuncts Of all well.
governed institutions. The Democratic
party does not stand In the attitude Of
condemning absolutely all combinations
Combinations, formed for the purpose
of economizing results, for economizine
in labor and material and Mt the same
time, tending to lessen prices, meet the
appreciation of the people.
"Such combinations are not in the
mind of the trust magnate. His economy
means the discharge of laboring men; il
means the closing of mills, If necessary
to maintain the price; 1t means the con.
troll of the source Of supply. 1t means
the control of transportation facilities. II
means the elimination of vast army Of
travelling men, the most faithful barome.
ter of the conditions of the country and
trade known to our land.
$50 powerful had these combination.
become that in 1890 was passed the
Sherman antitrust act. For period Of
ten years this law remained silent upor
the statute books of the United States
without an attempt at enforcement
merely as thing of beauty, 10 be point
ed at when occasion demanded. hut no
disturbed. This law has been derided
said y b! unconstitutional, and ever;