The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-09-27

by the everything spirit of the con-
stitution which they framed for us, or
shall we go along other and untried
paths, hitherto Stunned by all, fol-
lowing blindly new ideals. which
though appealing with brilliancy to
the imagination and ambition, may
prove a will O. the wisp, leading us
into difficulties from which it may be
impossible 20 extricate ourselves
without lasting injury to Our national
character and institutions?
The Tariff and Trusts.
Tariff reform is one Of the cardi-
nal principles of the democratic faith.
and the necessity for it was never
greater than at the present time. 1t
should be undertaken at once in the
interest of all Our people.
The Dingley tariff is excessive in
many Of it's rates, and, as to them at
least, unjustly and opressively bur-
dens the people. 1t secures to do
mestic manufacturers, singly or in
combination. the privilege of exacting
excessive prices at home and prices
far above the level of sales made reg
ularly by them abroad with profit,
thus giving a bounty TO foreigners at
the expense of our own people.
Its unjust taxation burdens the peo-
pie generally, forcing them to pay
excessive prices for food, fuel, cloth
ing and other necesaries of life. 1t
levies duties on many articles not
normally imported in any consider
able amount, which are made exten-
sively at home, for which the most
extreme protectionist would hardly
justify protective taxes, and which in
large amounts are exported. Such
duties have been and will continue to
be direct incentive to the formation
of huge industrial combinations,
which, secure from foreign conlpeti-
ton, are enabled to stihe domestic
comp petition and practically to monop-
olize the home market.
1t contains many duties imposed
for the express purpose only, as was
openly avowed, of furnishing basis
for reduction by means of reciprocal
trade treaties, which the republican,
administration, implicitly at least,
promised to negotiate Having, on
this promise, secured the increased
duties, the republican party leaders,
spurred on by protected interests, de-
feated the treaties negotiated by the
executive, and now these same inter-
ests cling to the benefit of these du-
ties which the people never intended
they should have, and to which they
have no moral right.
Even now the argument. most fire.
quently urged in behalf Of the Ding
ley tariff. and against tariff reform
generally, is the necessity of caring
for our infant industries. Many Of
these industries, after hundred years
of lusty growth, are looming up as
industrial agents. In their case, at
least, the Dingley tariff invites COM
bination and monopoly, and gives JUS
tihcation to the expression that the
tariff is the mother Of trusts.
For the aforementioned reasons.
among many others, the people de-
mand reform of these abuses. and
such reform demands and should re-
ceive immediate attention.
The two leading parties have al
ways differed as to the principle OF
customs taxation. Our party has al
ways advanced the theory that the
object is the raising of revenue for
support Of the government whatever
other results may incidentally flow
therefrom. The republican party,
on the other hand, contends that Gus:
toms duties should be levied prlmar"
ilv for protection, so-called, with rev.
enue as the subordinate purpose, thus
using the power of taxation to build