Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-12-02
Friday, Dec ember 2, 1904.
REMAND fOR TARIFF REFORM.

The average citizen knows he pays I
the money which supports the gov
eminent. He does not know how ne
paws it always, because there is No
government tax collector, but ne mas
sense enough to know that due pro-
norton comes out of his pocket. Inc
government expenses are nearing
Billion dollars yearly, sum OF money
an vast the human mind cannot COM
nrehend it. This money does not come
off foreigners as we have sometimes
heard it did. else we would double II |
not tbrible the amount. 1t goes out OF
the pockets of our home people into
the treasury. Seeing that the citizen
DAYS it is be rot interested enough in
public affairs to see that he is not
robbed, or his money wasted?
At the last election a man named
William l.. Douglas was elected gov
ernor of Massachusetts. This man
began life as an humble shoe maker.
He has grown rich. He, as strange as
il may seem, is a Democrat, and In
aristocratic Massachusetts where the
governorship of the State has always
been given to people of high birth ana
liberal culture, he has been made gov
ernor. His election methods were
curious, but SO strictly legal that not
a breath of adverse criticism has been
heard against them. He. advertised
himself all over the. State in the most
conspicuous way. Large placards were
placed in all conspicuous places.
Great posters were set up at cross
roads. All the leading newspapers
and magazines contained his adver-
tisements accompanied by his picture
and picture of his $3.50 shoes. One
of the most powerful reasons for bis
election was found in an advertisement
which read-''I sell these shoes fof
ss 50. If it were not for the tariff
could sell them at $780,"
Here was an argument which was
unanswerable. 1t struck square be
tween the eyes. Why should the peo-
pie of the United States pay $3.50 FOL
shoes when by change in their ta1
laws they could get the same article
for So. 90? The people of Massachu
setts therefore said if We can accom-
plish such a thing we will voice on
wishes in this regard by electing L
-hn hoo
truth though he be of opposite polite
to us. Massachusetts is VIGOROUSLY
Republican State, and to elect sho
maker and Democrat at one and th
same time over Republican and a
aristocrat was giving strong empnasl
tn tariff reform. But we may be aske
why, if these people wanted tariff r.
form, did they vote for Republlca
President and Republican Congress
men. when the Republicans are en-
phatically "stand patters, and agaln'
tariff reform2 We answer that sucn
not the sentiment of the whole Repu
lican party. There is strong dri
toward tariff reform and the people
Massachusetts believed that tart
reform could be accomplished qulck'
bv the Republicans than by electlr
Democrats to those offices. And tn
il true, MIR. Lodge to the contral
notwithstanding. Ii that party SHOW
sense and yields to demand from tt
people, and to demand now belr
made by an empty treasury, they W
reform the tariff. The tariff rates a
so enormously and outrageously big
now as to exclude nearly all produc
and therefore reduce our revenues
that we are about bankrupt, that is Oh
treas ury is without funds. We mu
therefore get mony by tariff reducti'
or by going back to war taxes in ii
way of stamps on articles. A reducti
of tariffs would accomplish much 1
the people. 1t would tend to ma
trusts less domineering and insoler
1t would tend to place more money
the treasury and thus prevent star
tax. 1t would tend to reduce she
from $3.50 to $500 as Mr.. Doug
saws, and other articles We use a.
wear just as well. Why should t
people not demand it?
One thing of interest touching III
.io "a attitude toward the limited Sta