The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-11-04
JUDGE PARKER MAKES FOUR
SPEECHES In CONNECTICUT
Continued. from First Paee)

Continued from First Paqe)
need ships of our own, but they should be
built not at the cost of the government.
not from taxes drawn from all the peo-
pie, but as a result of the enterprise of
our people. Our products sent to other
countries should be sent in American bot
TOMS and that almost in infinite demand
by our people for the products of our
countries should enable us to bring them
everything that their material comfort,
education and progr ess makes it necessary
or desirable for them to use.
THE Importance of international arbi-
tration as one of the forces which makes
for good. cannot be exaggerated.
In order to secure the best and most
suspicious results the permanent confer
tnce proposed to be kept open at The
Hague deserves unqualified approval
Such tribunal constantly ready for
prompt action and decisions, should COM
mand the confidence and cooperation of
all countries. So far, however, as the
United States Is concerned the most peril
nent question to be asked is what assur-
anee for peace does not lie in carrying
out the traditional policy unGer which it
is only to maintain such an army as is
actually mcclellan army for use and not
for unnecessary display or possible ag
gression. We hear much from time to
time, and from many different quarters
about the necessity of being prepared for
war. This demand is so insistent that the
citizen is soemtimes tempted to ask
whether II after all it would not be more
timely and more helpful to humanity If
we should consider the other question Of
being prepared for peace
! Four Yes CT War.
During the one hundred and twenty
| one years which have passed since in
dependence was achieved, we have en-
gagged In foreign wars during only four
of them-the remaining one hundred and
seventeen having been found at peace
with our neighbors. If arbitration had
been recognized as policy, we would have
eliminated those four and the disparity
between the years of peace and the years
of war certainly admonishes us where our
interest lies.
THE tariff condition into which we
have come at last, started in Hamilton
times with duties of S1a per cent. The
reason given by Hamilton for the i'm
position OF this duty. was:
1T will tend to render the United
States independent of foreign nations for
military and other essential supplies.
THAT was the entering wedge. Now
the average rate is SO per cent.
Various arguments have been used to
persuade congress to increase the duties
for the benefit of those who wish to COM
pei our people to pay more than the
, market prices of the world.
'9rhe earliest argument was that the
people should be willing to contribute to-
ward the building up of our infant in
dustries. As many of these industries
are now old enough and large enough to
be weaned, that argument is no longer
available.
For Working Mans Benefit.
Later 1t vas contended that high tariff
lates shouls be continued or increased
for the benefit of the working man. Was
the working man invited to contribute to
expense of securing our protecting tariff
legislation? We cannot recall that he was.
All the money contributed for that pur-
pose came from those asking for the
privileges. And they contributed at cleo
tions vast sums to control the electorate.
They contributed with the understanding
that their ,rterests should be cared for
by the party which received the money.
"They obtained the needed legislation,
But did they divide the profits wrung
from the people with the working man
who helped to produce them? They paid,
as a rule, no more wages than they were
obliged to. That fact, itself, shows that
the argument was false. Their real OBJ
was to secure this high tariff duty for
their own benefit.
at is true wages have been advanced
from time to time. But the advance has
not been due to desire to divide profits
with the employee. 1t has been due, in
my Judgment, in very large measure to
the expense of labor organizations. The
increase of wages in protected Industries
has not been proportionally greater than
those in employments not affected by tar
if duties.
More Expensive to Live.
THE effect of a high tariff duty has
been to compel us to pay more for the
things we buy than we otherwise would.
If you vote the republican ticket you
vote to continue legislation that makes
| it more expensive to live.
IF collector from the steel trust
should ask you to contribute a dollar a
| year for each member of your family,
would you do 1t? Yet the celebrated
/ statistician, Mr.. Edward Atkinson, asserts
that the steel interests collect an aver
( age of one dollar a year for each person
| with the aid of the tariff statute.
Sewing machines. moving machines.
farm implements of various kinds, as well
as a great number of articles every day
purchased, are made in this country and
sold abroad cheaper than they are sold
here Some are sold one-ffth cheaper,
others one-quarter and still others one
third, after paying the expense of trans
portation across the ocean. That fifth
or quarter or third represents the amount
the purchaser is obliged to place In the
manufacturer box over and above the
fair value of the thing purchased, as evil
denced by the price at which it sells
abroad.
"He compels you to pay this amount
by means of a statute which places
the duty so high that foreign competition
is cut off.