The Washington times., 1904-09-12
REIMBURSEMENT AS NEEDED.
Task Can Be Entrusted Only to Friends
of Protection.

From time to time schedules must I'M
doubtedly be rearranged and readjusted
10 meet the shifting needs of the cOun-
try: but this can with safety be done
only by those who are committed 10
the cause of the protective system. To
urroot and destroy that system would
Ue to insure the prostration Of business
the closing of factories. the impoverish-
raent OF the farmer the ruin % the cap
italist and the starvation of the wage
worker.
Yet, if protection is indeed robbery"
and If our opponents really believe what
they say. then il is precisely TO the de-
struction and uprooting of the tariff
and therefore OF our business and in
dustry that they are pledged. When
our opponents last obtained power IL
was on platform declaring 8 prOtec-
tive tariff ''uncOnstitutionai.' and the
effort TO put this declaration into pcac-
tice was one Of the causes of the S=-D-
eral national prOstration lasting from
1893 20 1897.
II q protective tariff is either ''un-
constitutioaal' or robbery, then II is
just as unconstitutional. just as mucn
robbery. 10 revise IL down. still leaving
il protective. rs il would be 10 enact
it In other words our opponents have
committed themselves to the destruction
of the protective principle in the tariff.
using words which x honestly used for
10 obtain in even the smallest degree.
Reciprocity Not Democratic.
Our opponents assert that they be-
lieve in reciprocity. Their action on ,he
most important reciprocity treaty re-
Gently negotiated-that with Cu;a-does
not bear out tEis assertion. Moreover.
there can be no reciprocity unless there
is a substantial tariff: free trade and
on record as favoring arrangements FOR
reciprocal trade relations with other
countries. these arrangements to be on
an equitable basis OF benefit TO both the
contracting parties.
The Republican party stands pledged
10 every wise and consistent method Of
increasing the foreign commerce Of the
country. That II has kept its pledge IS
proven by the fact that while the do
nestle trade Of this country exceeds ~
volume the entire export and import
trade Of all the nations Of the world
the United States has In addition Sc
cured more than an eighth OF the ex-
pert trade OF the world. standing first.
among the nations in this respect The
United States has exported during the
last seven years nearly ten billions OF
dollars worth of goOds--on an average
half as much again annually as during
the previous four years, when many OF
our people were consuming nothing but
supply even Of these.
Guarding the Workingman.
Two years ago. in speaking at Logans-
port. Ind, 1 said:
THE one consideration which must
never be omitted in a tariff change is
the imperative need Of preserving the
American standard of living for the
American wOrlungman. The tariff rate
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 equaliZe the conditions
arising from the difference IN the stan
dard OF labor here and Abroad dir
ference which IL should be our aim To
foster in so far as ii represents the
needs Of better educated. better paid
better fed. and better clothed working
men OF a higher type than any to be
found In a foreign country.
AT all hazards. and no matter what
else Is sought for or accomplished by
changes Of the tariff. the American
workingman must be protected in his
standard Of wages, that is, IN his STAN
dard OF living, and must be secured the
fullest opportunity Of employment Our
laws should in no event afford advan-
tage TO foreign Industries over Amer
lean Industries. They should in no
event do less than equalize the differ
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