The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-18
PROTECTION OF MONOPOLIES

The republican papers are saying
that the salary Of congressman
should be raised at least one half be-
cause the cost of living in Washing
ton, D. c., has increased in that pro-
portion. The increase in the cost Of
living is principally due to the high
of the congressman stand. AS they
are responsible for the maintenance
of monopoly prices through a trust
breeding tariff, they have little rea-
son to complain when they are under
the necessity Of taking the same medi-
cine that they dose out to the Ameri-
can people in general.
The high protective tariff is main
manufacturers to pay higher wages,
and Of course they can do this only
by charging higher prices for their
products. But in fact most Of the
beEeiciaries Of the high tariff would
take all the increased profits thus
given as a sort of trust fund for labor
were it not for the coercion TO which
they are subjected by labor unions.
If it were not for this organized re-
sistance on the part Of the American
WCrkingmen protection sOcalIed
would be nothing more or less than
unmitigated robbery Of the many for
the benefit Of the few Even with this
check upon its pernicious tendency,
the system has done more than all
else to concentrate the wealth of the
country into the hands Of q few enOr-
mously rich men, like the Rockefel-
lers. the Morgans and the Carnegies.
The democrats propose in lieu OF
this system a tariff whose chief object
shall be revenue with only incidental
protection. No. practical man pro-
poses absolute free trade with a
world in which the protective system
now has the mastery. 1t would bel
senseIess folly to throw open the
ports of this country to the products
OF all other countries without securing
like privileges for the products of
this country in foreign markets.
President Mckinley in his last speech
made on that fatal day in Buffalo, two
years ago On the 9Th OF this month,
declared:
We must not repose in fancied Sc
curity that we can forever sell every
y i'm p
The period of exclusiveness is
past. The expansion Of our trade and
commerce is the pressing problem.
Commercial wars are Improbable. \
policy Of good will and friendly trade
relations will prevent reprisals. =
Ii, perchance, some OF our tar
ifs are TO longer needed for revenue.
or TO encourage and protect our IN
dustries at home, why should they not
be employed to promote and extend
our markets abrOad?"
Thus did William Mckinley slowly
reach the truth long before grasped
by James G. Blaine who declared in
d senate committee room with an en-
phasis that brought his fist down on
his silk tile to its utter ruin that the
pending Mckinley bill OF 1890 did not
make market for another bushel OF
American wheat Or barrel Of pork
and predicted that it would bring
Overwhelming defeat to the republican
party, as it did.
Tariff. trusts and reciprocal trade
relations with foreign nations will be
the great correlated issues of the
next presidential campaign and the
signs are multiplying that the great
democratic victories of 1876 and 1892
will be repeated. Thousands and
thousands of liberal-minded republi-
cans in every part of the Union are
weary Of the anachronisms of the
Dingley tariff and they believe that it