Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-02-07
FAITH IS NOT LOST
PRoTEcTIoNisr SENTIMENT Is
STRONG WITH THE PEOPLE.
Not With the Rank and File, But
With Certain Leaders Who Have
Ends to Gain and Ambitions to
Serve.

Any tinkerlng with the tarln at the
present time can but jeopardize that
stability which our economic condi-
lions now enjoy and consequently
prove fatal to the continuance OF that
prosperity, which for the past hve
years, or since the enactment Of the
Dingley tariff in 1897, has made
every other nation on the globe 1ooh
upon us with eyes of envy. Can we
afford to let go an established GER
tainty for a doubtful experiment? Is
it just? Is it wise? Is it statesman
like to do so? Manifestly any such
course is little short of folly, certain
political leaders to the contrary not
withstanding.
We all recall to our sorrow the no
torious Cleveland era preceding the
election of Mckinley in 1896. Business
was at a standstill labor was I'M
employed, and the nation was prac-
tically in the hands of Coxey's army
and bankruptcy. About this time
something happened. 1 was the cleo
ton of Mckinley, the cessation of a
senseless currency agitation, and the
enactment of what is known as the
Dingley protective tariff bill. We
know the result-abundant prosper
ity.
The history of this nation furnishes
several examples of like prosperity
following the enactment of protective
tariff laws. The citation of one will
suffice. The seven years preceding
the year 1924 were years of hard
times and business stagnation. But in
that year Congress passed a protec-
tive tariff law, business Immediately
revived and until the year 1882 the
country enjoyed unprecedented pros
perity. In the latter year revision
of the tariff agitation began. Henry
Clay was the leader of the protection
lists and fought with all the powers OF
his mastery intellect any measures
calculated to change the existing tar
iff 1t was at this time that he deliver
ed his famous speech, in the United
States senate, known as 'The Ameri-
can System" A portion of that speech
is in many respects applicable to the
present time and descriptive of pres
ent conditions. After dwelling some
what at length on the hard times pre-
ceding 1924 and calling attention to
the enactment during that year of
the tariff law that brought on the
era of business revival he said: 81
ing task of exhibiting an imperfect
sketch of the existing state of the un.
paralleled prosperity of the country.
On a general survey we behold Guilt
walton extended, the arts fourishing,
the face of the country improved, our
people fully and profitably employed
and the public countenance exhibiting
tranquility, contentment and hsppi
ness" This pleasing state of affairs
he attributes to the wise tariff laws
and he counsels their retention.
A review of the conditions immedi
ately preceding and following the en-
actment of the Dingley tariff bill
would show a state of affairs identical
with those described by Mr.. Clay as
existing before and after the passing
of the tariff law in 1924. The princi
pie of protection is the same now as
it has always been, and the fact thai
great corporations have sprung W
does not change the fundamental
principles of this or any other gov
eminent. Corporations are not the
creatures of the tariff system but have
sprung up independent of it, and the
fact that they reap benefit from. il
is an attendant circumstance incident
to the general application Of that sys
tenn. If the system of protection in
some few instances makes, not inten
tionally but incidentally, a few rich
men richer, is not that evil, if evil II
be, more than compensated by the
bringing of prosperity to the country
at large? The rich men are numeri
cally very Insignificant part of the
population and why should a law that
they can reap certain benefit from
be for that reason condemned wher
it also brings to the common people
of whom there are so many, an op
portunity to exchange their limited
products and labor for the necessities
and comforts of life? The logic OF
some anti-tariff agitators is about like
this: Corporations are bad; tariff
laws help corporations, therefore tar
III laws are badi AS we'll say thai
because the sun shines on corpora
tions and corporation promoters it Is
bad.
This talk of revising the tariff i.
uncalled for and if persisted in By
men of prominence in the party, will
by tendency to unsettle present in
dustrial stability, bring on business
depression. Let the tariff remain as
it is, for, as Senator Hale of Maine
said last month: The Dingley act
has given the people of the United
States more revenue, more business
more trade. and more prosperity thar