Saint Mary's beacon., 1904-10-13
TRUSTS AND TARIFF.


a A"tttt~ II. AbtuFuu writes 10 the
Evening Post (N. ". the following in.
teresting letter on Projections"
Sir-The Republicans declaration
that I'VE insist upon the maintenance
or the principles OF protection Is a
challenge To make the question
whether the principle OF protection Is
right or wrong a carpaign issue.
This leaves the c,ean-cut Issue. IA
protection In principle right or wrongs
The only argument that has been ad-
Vanced Tor the former is that we see
u accompanied hy prosperity: and n
similar argument would equally prove
that TIE san goes around the ea -th'
An argument AGAINST Il e thar. simply
because snmethiH. cannot hp made ont
OF nothing. protective" duties can do
no more than To ri, crt production from
its natural channels; that Is. from the
lines of least resistance, aud therefore
OF least expenditure OF effort. and so
OF least cost OF production. Converse
ly, such diversion from natural chnn-
nels must increase cost OF production.
and. therefore. other things being
equal. lessen profit.
Tarin duty is cnly one OF many fac
tors. but So far as IL goes The arsu-
ment Is confirmed by the fact that
under the Walker so-called free trade
tariff. when our manufactures came
nearest TO following the natural chan
neis or production. their ratio OF In
crease, which is largely dependent on
relative profit. was greater than ever
before o. since. Uader the crownlng
iniQuity. so far. 20 the Dingley tariH.
while the ratio OF increase. ana so the
proht TO the Nation. is less, corrupt
legislation has diverted the lions share
or the DIMINISHED profits into the nock-
cts OF privileged fCw-to the
building up OF hinge Individual for
tunes. that by their evil example and
evil use in corrurtiug our legislators
and voters are endaugerinC our repub-
lie. IL is true that. thanks 10 abund-
ant crops, and TO other causes with
which protection has nothing TO do
except TO do harm. there are crumbs of
the resulting prosperity fer the rest
or us; but under the Walker tariff,
while individual fortunes would not
have been so dangerously overgrown,
the people would have had full lOaves.
Besides. despite the delaying OF the
end by Trust combinations the artI-
fetal stlmuiant Is marifestly losing
its effect. and should the Republicans
win IL is an open secret that to bring
about another "bOom" II will be neces-
sary TO increase the dose, AZ our further
expense; as well as 10 add ship subsi-
dies, and so on. II, on the other hand,
the Democrats should win, revision,
properly managed as II would be by
the friends OF our country 0n place OF
friends OF the tariff Deneficiaries, and
the Republican corruption fund.-, and
with honest reciprocity treaties, SO far
from checking prosperity would give IL
healthy impulse by throwing open
to rs the field of international trade;
in which, just as fast as our necks are
freed from the milestone OF protection
ism, with our natural resources, In
Guiding brains, we would lead the
world. The rich employers would be-
come richer. Steel rails. for example,
at S2S would lose the $S we are now
robbed Of, but th remaining profit
OF IS on the added enormous output
for the vast increase I'm the foreign
trade would more than make up the
loss. These employers. also. could OBJ
viously afford 20 Iand so long as good
ratio OF our land TO our Inhabitants
would have to give as good
wages as now, o. better and instead
of the present alternating feasts and
famines there would be more steady
Best OF all. perhaps. as the tarlff
robbery was lessened is artificialIy en-
HANGED cost OF living would be reduced,
ard SAY ffty cents would provide
what now costs n dollar. il has been
the writer's lot TO spend most OF his
grown life abroad, and although now
some years at home he still feels hu-
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 qualify
double what he has been used 10 pay
ing in the benigh:ed word outside.
Besides the sense of humiliation. how
ever. there is also n distinct inclination
TO kick somebody. What justice is
there I'm robbing lis TO make other men
rich. or TO swell the Republican cor
ruption fund: From their own selfish
view poin: the Republicans do well 10
fight tooth and nail against chant
except to make the duties higher
Even ten years under scientific tariff
would make my cOuntrymen amazed
that they could have been so fooled.
After fifty years. cur historians would
group the protection craze with the
tulip mania and the South Sea bubble