The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-16

anything can be that this ain. viii be
achieves ri oniy by cutting dow the pros
perity OF all of our people.
A Question of American Expediency.
OF course, ii our opponents are not sin
cere in their proposal to abolish the sys-
tenn of a protective tariff, there is no use
in arguing the matter at all save by
pointing out again that If on II great
issue they do not mean what they say,
1t is hardly safe to trust them on any
ether issue. But if they are sincere Their
The question of what tariff is best is pri-
marily one of eSpediency, to be deter
mined in the light of experience. 1t Is q
matter of business. Our eXperience has
those counsellors who have confined them
selves to study in the closet; for the work
ing of the tariff has contradicted their
theories. From time to time schedules
must undoubtedly be readjusted TO meet
shifting needs: but this can with safety
be done only by those who are committed
to the system. To uproot and destroy that
system. would mean prostrat.on of bust
ness, closing factories, impoverishment of
the farmer. the ruin of the capitalist, and
the starvation of the wage-worker. When
our opponents last obtained power it Was
on a platform declaring a protective tariff
"unconstitutional;;" and the effort to put
this declaration into practice was one on
the causes of the general national prostra-
ton lasting from 1888 to 1887.
Dur opponents assert that they believe
in reciprocity. Their action on the treaty
With Cuba does not bear out this asser-
ton. Moreover. there can be no reel
procity unless there is a substantial tariff;
free trade and reciprocity are not COM
patible. We favor reciprocal trace. The
party stands pledged to every wise method
OF increasing foreign commerce. While
the domestic trade of this country eX-
ceeds in volume the entire export and i'm
port trade of the world. the United States
has secured more than an eighth of the
export trade of the world, standing first
among the nations. Two years ago, at
Logansport, Ind, L said:
Protecting American Standard.
The one consideration which must new
er be omitted in a tariff change is the i'm
perative need OF preserving the American
workingman. The tariff trate must never
fall below that which will protect the
American -workingman by allowing for the
difference between the general labor cost
here and abroad, so as at least to equal
ize the conditions arising from the diff
ference in the standard of labor here and
sents the needs of better educated. better
paid. better fed. and better clothed work
ingnen of a higher. type than any to be
found in a foreign country. AT all haz-
ards. and no matter what else is sought
for or accomplished by changes of the tar
protected in his standard of wages; that is,
in mis- standard of living. and must be
secured the fullest opportunity of employ
ment. Our laws should in no event af-
ford advantage to foreign industries over
American industries. They should in no
event do less than equalize the difference
in conditions at home and abroad.
1t is a matter of regret that the protec-
tive tariff policy is not now accepted as
definitely established. Forty odd years
haye been the most prosperous this nation
has seen. Beyond question this prosperity
could not have come if the American peo-
pie had not possessed the necessary thrift,
energy, and business intelligence to turn
their vast material resources to account.
But it is no less true that our economic
policy has enabled us to make such good
use of Individual capacities and natural
resources. Every class of our people is
benefited by the protective tariff. Dur
ing the last few years the merchant has
seen export trade grow faster than ever
The manufacturer could not keep his fac
tory running If ie were not for the pro-
tective tariff. The wage-worker would do
well to remember that If protection is"rob-
berry, and is to be punished accordingly,
he will be the first to pay the penalty. The
purchasing power of the average wage
has grown faster than the cost of living.
Farmer and the Tariff.
The farmer has been benefited as much
established by the last census is the wide
distribution of wealth. The chief agen-
cies producing this distribution are manu-
the hee1 bsss 81 Sf c iRnfattGns. r hgr SIX miliio rs
farms OF the United States, are more
fruitful than all other resources. The men
tn. protective tariff the best Of sS ali POSSIBLE
markets. All other classes depend Upon
the farmer. but the farmer depends upon
the market they furnish. American farm
ers nave p%rospered because their market
has kept pace with their farms. The adj
dit.onal market continually furnished by
domestic n e. m nan aae,at rs nas been far in
export trade In farm products is neces-
sary to dispose of our surplus; and the
export trade of our farmers. both in ami
NAL products and in plan: products, has
very largely increased. Without the en-
larged home market, we should nave to
reduce production or else feed the world
at less than the cost of production. In
the forty years ending in 1900. farm prop
erty increased. twelve and a half billions,
the farmer gaining more than the manu-
facturer, The farmer has become depen-
dent upon the. manufacturer to utilize
that portion of his produce which does
not go direct to food supply. In 1900 fifty
two per cent. Of the total value of farm
products was consumed as raw materials
of factories. Evidently the manufacturer
is the farmers best and most direct GUS
toner. The American manufacturer pur-
chases his farm supplies almost exclu-
sively in his w country. The manufac-
uriag establis hments tend steadily to mi
cultural districts. The center of the manu-
featuring industry in 1900 was near the
middle of Ohio, moving westward thirty
mile in every decade. and this movemen
is invariably accompanied by a marked
increase in the value of farm lands. Farm
values will continue to increase as the
1 partnership DGlWetu manufacturer ana
farmer grows more intimate. The manu-
facturer never could nave placed the ma
ton at the head Of the manufacturing
nations of the world ii he had not had
behind him. resources of the farm.
Reversal Of Policy Disastrous.
Here and there may be an equal sharing
in, the BENEFITS by protection: but benefits
have come. and a reversal in policy would
mean damage. The underlying principle
of protection has worked out results so
beneficent, so advantageous alike to farm
ers, capitalists and workingmen, tina the
American people will insist that when
these laws are modified they shall be
modified with the utmost care and con-
seryatism, and by the friends and not
the enemies of the system.
Let me add a word of agreement with
the policy. of including within the bene-
fits, the American merchant marine. 1t
is not creditable to US that our great ex-
port n import trade should be we'll
nigh exclusively in the hands OF foreign
erS.
1t is difficult to know If our opponents
are sincere in their demand for the re-
duction of the army. II insincere, there is
no need for comment, and If sincere, what
shall we say Of an appeal to reduce an
army Of sixty-thousand men which is
taking care Of the interests of over eighty
ly smaller than in the days Of Washing
ton or OF Jefferson. There is now one
soldier to every fourteen hundred people.
We cannot be asked seriously to argue as