The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-10-08
TRUSTS AND TARIFF.
Honest Treaties WoaIi Expand Amer
icau Commerce.

francis h. WO0drun writes 10 luS
Evening Post On. ", the following IL
teresting letter OH "Protectien:"
Sir-The Republicans declaration
that 1--WE insist upon the maiTtenanes
of the principles of protection" is Il
challenge to make the question
whether the principle of protection is
right or wrong Il campaign issue.
This leaves the clean-cut issue. iS
protection in principle right or wrong
The only argument that has been ad-
yanced for the former is that we see
it accompanied by prosperity: anu ii
similar argument would equally prove
that the sun goes around the earthI
An argument against it Sc that, Simply
because something cannot be made out
of nothing, "protective' duties can do
no more than to divert production fFony
its natural channels; that is, from the
lines of least resistance, and therefore
of least expenditure OF effort. aud So
of least cost of production Converse
ly, such diversion from natural ch6u--
nels must increase cost of production
and, therefore, other things being
equal. lessen profit.
Tariff duty is only one Of many fac
tors. but so far us it goes the argU-
ment is confirmed by the fact ihaE
under the Wake" so-calIed free trade
tariff. when our manufactures came
nearest to following the natural chan
nels of production. their ratio of in
crease. which is largely dependent Oh
relative profit. was greater than eYaT
before o" since. Under the crOwninG
iniquity, so far, nf the DingIey tariff
while the ratio of increase. and so the.
profit to the Nation. is less, corrupE
legislation has diverted the lions share
of the DIMINISHED profits into the pOck-
cts of Il tariff privileged few-to the
building up OF huge Individual for
tunes, that by their evil example an'a
evil use in corrupting onr Legislators
and voters are endangering our repub-
lie. 1t is true that, thanks to abUud-
ant crops. and to other causes witEn
which protection has nothing 10 do
except to do harm, there are crumbs OF
the resulting prosperity for the rest
of us; but under the Walker thrift
while individual fortunes would no5
have been so dangerously oyergrowns
the people would have had fulI ioaVes-
Besides. despite the delaying Of the
end by Trust combinations, the artf-
fetal stimulant is marifestiy losing,
ltS GIcCt, NiId Si'OtlU liIE LNCsbbbittAt
win il is an open secret that to bring
about another boom" it viii be uecea-
sary TO increase the dose. at our further
expense; lis well rs to add ship EubsI-
dies, and so on. If, on the other haud-
the Democrats should win, revision
properly managed as ii would be bF-
the friends Of oar country lin place oE
friends of the tariff nenehciarieS, ana
the Republican corruption fund.-, aH&
with honest reciprocity treaties, 50 far
from checking prosperity would give X
a healthy impulse by throwing opc,g
to us the field OF international trade
in which, Just as fast rs our nec1is arc
freed from the milestone Of protection
ism, with our natural resources, IL
Guiding brains, we would teJd the
world. The rich employers would De
come richer. Steel rails. for example,
at S2S would lose the SS we are new
robbed of, but til remaining proaE
of SIS on the added enormous outpuE
for the vast increase III the foreiGG
trade would more than make up the
loss. These employers, also, could o6-
viously afford to tand so long as Il go0tS
ratio of our land 10 our inhabitants
continues would have 10 give as goosE
wages as nov. OF better and iuSteata
of the present alternating feasts ana
famines there would be more steady
employment.
Best of all, perhaps. as the tariff
robbery was lesscned lis artificialiy e1-
hanced cost of living would be reduced -
ard tsay) fifty cents would provide
what now costs Il dollar. 1t has peefp
the writer's lot to spend most of his
grown life abroad. and although nova
some years at home he still feels h'!-
inflated whenever, as often ne finds
that in his own enlightened country
of which he had been so proud, he
now has to pay for inferior quality
double what he has been used TO pay
ing in the benighted word outside
Besides the sense Of humiliation. how
ever, there is also a distinct inclinatiGrs
to kick somebody. What justice IS
there i'll robbing us to make other men
rich, or to swell the Republican cor
ruption fund? From their own selfish
view point the Republicans do well t1s
fight tooth and nail against change.
except to make the duties higher
Even ten years under a scientific tariff
would make my countrymen amaZesf
that they could have been SO fooled
After fifty years, cur historians Woui6
group the protection craze with the
= - ~.