The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1904-02-05
ENDORSED BY DEMOCRAT.
The Republican Tnrin roiiry ne-
cei,r- Approval OF u-nibcr of
the Opposition.


Representative Watson. Of this state.
did n neat piece Of political manouvering
In forcing Representative John $. VIII
liams. Of Mississippi. into a practical In
dofsemcnt OF the republican policy on
the tariff question. says the lndlanap-
oils Journal. Mr. Williams IL the leader
OF the minority In the house and re-
ceivcd the complimentary vote Of the
democrats for speaker. While he was
speaking on the tnrin question MIR. Wat
son. by some sharp questioning, led him
TO declare. first. that the democratic
party did not stand for free trade; see
ond. that II favored n tarin for revenue
only. ard. third, that II favored the re-
publican policy Of lowering duties ms
time and circumstances should Justify.
II the democratic party has any fixed
principle Il II opposition to protection
In any form. and. Of course. advocacy OF
the opposite policy. The opposite OF
protection IN free trade, but the party
dare not ayow this openly. SO MIR Will
liams denied that II stood for free trade.
when asked Il he stood for n tarlr for
revenue only he replied: ANY tariff
that will provide for the necessities Of
this government ls more than equal 10
q tarln that must pay the difference he
tween wages In the United States and
those abroad" This was an Ingenious
evasion Of the question and indicated n
desire to get away from the party's rec
ord.
Finally. as Mr.. Williams waH contend
Ing that the tarin should DE revised, Mr..
Watson napgcd him 10 tell what Kind Of
revision he meant. 1T would take
some time to do f." he said. '"rlme
would enter as a factor into the proceYs.
necessarily so. Great Britain, whose
slogan was free trade. did not reach
free trade by sweeping out OF existence
all the Industrial conditions that then
existed. Gradually. little by little, she
reduced the dues. now on this aud now
on that. and furnished 10 the country In
each case OF reduction an object lesson
OF the benoflcont effect Of removing
taxation from the consumer"
Mr.. Williams does not state correct
~ the process by which Great Britain
passed from protection Il free trade.
and no Ignores the local conditions that
were thought 10 make II necessary, but
he does incidentally indorse the tariff
policy OF the republican party. That
policy IA not n Of hard and fast adher-
ence to any particular tarln schedule,
but Of adherence TO protection M long
ns and to the extent that II may be need
al foe tha paaaFan.... 81 -..--
Industries. the control OF American
markets, and maintaining the American
standard Of wages. The republican par
y Is In favor OF tarif revision when
ever circumstances or changing condi-
tons may show that revision Ia deslr-
able. but always on the lines Of protec-
ton. The republican platform OF 1896
said:
W renew and emphasize our allegiance
70 the policy OF protection hs the bulwark
OF American Industrial Independence and
the foundation OF American dsyelopment
and prosperity. go We are not pledged
TO any particular schedules. The question
of rates N a practical question. TO be gov
erned by the conditions OF the time and OF
production; the ruling and uncompromis-
Ing principle In the protection and dsvei-
opmeht OF American labor and Industry"
This clearly Implied that tarlff sched-
ules might and should be changed TO
suit changing conditions. but never TO
tho detriment OF American labor and In
dustries. That 10 the republican policy,
and Mr.. Williams virtually indorses
Il.
In view OF this new definition OF DEM