Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-01-29
THEIR ONLY ISSUE.
Democrats Depend Upon Tariff
Snaahinr as a Chance of Winning.

bnEIn ONII lSSO6s
Democrats Depend Upon Tariff
Snashing as q Chance of Winning.
That tariff smashing is the one issue
that the Democrats have upon which
to aght the next presidential campaign
is becoming more apparent as time
wears on. Senator Vest, who has been
indulging In a Christmas retrospect
and a glance into the future, has come
to the conclusion that nothing else will
do, and he but shares in the opinions
of many other Democratic leaders. he
thinks that Mr.. Bryan cannot hope to
control the next convention, although
he may have q considerable following,
and, furthermore, that Bryan holds
views on some questions with which
the party does not sympathize. The
money question he believes should not
be made prominent and that the atten-
ton Of the party should be given to
the trusts and to waging battle against
them through q reduction in tariff
schedules.
Mr.. Vest is pronounced in his opin-
ions. He holds that combinations OF
capital with monopolistc tendencies
menace the country, and to him 1t Is
clear that monopoly is possible only
because competition Is not thrown open
to the world. He finds difficulties In
the way of the control of trusts through
remedial legislation and argues that
the wise course to take Is to "cut OH
the nourishment that has enabled them
to grow to such ungovernable size"
Mr.. Vest Is entitled to consideration,
for he has long been prominent in ma
tional affairs. He is just rounding out
four full terms in the senate, and a
quarter of a century Of experience at
Washington is long one. But when
he holds that trusts are the result OF
protection, that they do not exist ex-
cept in q limited degree in free trade
England and that the one way to reach
them Is through tariff revision he is
treading on ground that is bound to
crumble beneath his feet.
Trusts usually the title Is mis-
nomer) are but combinations of cap
ital, and these combinations are tax
ing place in every branch of business
and trade. 1t may be true that certain
combinations In America have been
aided to some extent by the protective
policy; but, even admitting this, 1t is
the protective policy that has built up
the manufactures Of the nation and
that has given it its commanding lead.
To aim at trusts and bring down all
manner of business enterprises would
be ruinous.
AS matter Of plain fact, combina'
tions will and do go on everywhere re-
gardless Of the tariff. 1t was only the
other day that the story was told Of an
American enterprise with billion OF
dollars at its back to control the dis
tribution of gas in the principal cities
of Europe. What has such a scheme to
do with protection? There are electric
light and gas trusts in the United
States, and there are railroad trusts
and street car trusts, but the Dingley
schedules do not include protection for
them.
This idea that certain combinations
can be controlled by revising the tariff
is absurd, for radical revision would
not disturb combinations nearly az
much as 1t would Independent bust.
nesses. Indeed, the tendency would be
to strengthen the position Of the great
corporations, for they would be much
better able to stand free trade or de-
creased duties than would the weaker
concerns
When such men as Senator Vest ar.
rive at the opinion that the one issue
that the Democratic party should
make Is tariff smashing, the paucity OF
Democratic campaign material be
comes apparent. Even since Cleveland
the party has been f1oundering hope
lessly. It has run after Organism and
has flirted with free silver and 80 call
ed imperialism" and has even dab
bled in anarchy. The amusing spec
tacle Is now presented Of the partJ
getting back to the old doctrines and
theories Of Grover Cleveland, policies
which, when tried, brought the country
to the verge of disaster.
And all that Senator Vest can rec
ommend In the way of Democratic
issue is return to disaster. .-Philadel
phia Inquirer.
proanepffv and Rauuhlaca n4aus