The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-12

tire export and import trade of all the
nations of the world, the United
States has in addition secured more
than an eighth of the export trade of
the world, standing first among the ma
tons in this respect. The United
States has exported during the last sew
en- years nearly ten billions of dollars
worth of goods-on an average half as
much again annually as during the pre-
Vicious four years, when many of our
people We're consuming nothing but
| necessaries, and some of them scanty
supply even of these.
Two years ago, in speaking at
Logansport, Indiana, said:
1.-The one consideration which must
never be omitted in a tariff change is
the imperative need of preserving the
American standard of living for the
American workingman. The tariff rate
must never fall below that which will
protect the American workingman by
allowing for the difference between the
general labor cost here and abroad, so
as at least to eQualiZe the conditions
arising from the difference in the stan
dard of labor here and abroad-a diff
ference which it should be our aim to
foster in SO far as it represents the
needs of better educated, better paid,
better fed, and better clothed working
men of a higher type than any to be
found in a foreign country. At all haz-
ards, and no matter what else is sought
for or accomplished by changes of the
tariff, the American workingman must
be protected in his standard of wages,
that is, in his standard of living, and
must be secured the fullest opportunity
of employment Our laws should in no
event afford advantage to foreign in
dustries over American industries. They
should in no event do less than equahze
the difference in conditions at home and
abroad
A Matter of Regret. a---
1t is matter of regret that the pro-
tective tariff policy, which, during the
last forty odd years, has become part
of the very fiber of the country, is not
now accepted as definitely established.
Surely we have a right to say that it
has passed beyond the domain of the
ory, and a right to expect that not only
its original advocates, but those who at
one time distrusted it on theoretic
grounds, should now acquiesce in the
results that nave been proved over and
over again by actual experience. These
forty odd years have been the most
prosperous years this nation has ever
seen: more prosperous years than any
other nation has ever seen. Beyond
question this prosperity could not nave
come if the American people had not
possessed the necessary thrift, energy,
and business intelligence to turn their
vast material resources to account. But
it is no less true that it is our econom-
ic policy as regards the tar1F. and
finance which has enabled us as a ma
ton to make such good use of the in
dividual capacities of our citizens, and
the natural resources of our country
Every class or our people IS DeHcIleQ
by the protective tariff. During the
last few years the merchant has seen
the export trade of this country grow
faster than ever in our previous history.
The Inanufa cturer could not keep his
factory running if it were not for the
tariff. The wage-worker
would do well to remember that If pro |
lection is robbery" and is to be punished
he will be the first to pay |
the penalty; for either he will be turn |
ed adrift entirely, or his wages will be |
cut down to the starvation point. As |
shown by the bulletins of
the bureau of labor, the purchasing |
power of the average wage received by |
the wage-worker has grown faster than |
the cost of living, and this in spite of |
the continual shortening of working
hours The accumulated savings of the /
of the country. as shown
by the deposits in the savings banks, |
have Increased by leaps and bounds. At |
no time in the history of this or any
other country has there been an era
so productive of material benefit alike
to workingman and employer, as during
the seven years that have just passed.
Benefits to the Farmer.
The farmer has benefited quite as
much as the manufacturer. the mer-
chant and the wage-worker. The
most welcome and impressive fact es-i