Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-10-13

9
suspended prosperity until we had
change from a free trade to a protec-
tive tariff. The very opposite has al
ways occurred when there has been a
change from free trade policy TO one
of protection-in such cases prosperity
has always followed and has always
continued until protection has been
superseded by free trade.
AS illustrative OF the benefits of pro-
lection we cite the opinion Of Bismarck,
enc of the ablest and shrewdest states
men of his day, as declared in q speech
In the German Rsichstag, In May, 1882,
In which he said: 1.-The success of the
United States in material development
10 the most illustrous of modern timek.
The American nation has not only sue
cessfully borne and suppressed the
most gigantic and expensive war OF all
history, but paid off most of its debt by
q system OF taxation so indirect as mot IT,
be perceived, much less felt. Because
1t is INV deliberate judgment that the
prosperity OF America is mainly due to
its system of protective laws, / urge
that Germany has now reached that
point where 1t Is necessary TO initiate
the tariff system OF the United States"
Germany followed his advice and has
been from that time to the present en-
| joying the benefits OF protection.
| We also cite 10 this connection the
recent popular demonstrations 10 favor
of protection In free trade England,
the only free trade nation ut present
among the leading nations of the
world-led by one OF her ablest states
men and endorsed by her greatest stat
istician. We have said this much up
on the dry and prosey subject OF tariff
to call attention to the Importance of
the issues involved in this political
contest.
| We cannot close this communication
without noticing some of the so-called
issues rendered in the democratic plat
form and objections specified against
the politics OF the present republican
administration. In their platform
they, as they always do, felicitoasly de-
clare their continued devotion to the
essential principles of the democratic
faith-whatever that may mean, and
add, "Under which local self govern
ment, national unity and prosperity
were established" AS to exactly what
they mean by their Essential prin-
ciples," they leave AS to conjecture.
They have been q party OF obstruction
ever since the election of Abraham
Lincoln. They opposed the methods
adopted by the Lincoln administration
for the suppression of the Rebellion
and as late as 1864 solemnly declared
that such efforts were failure and de-
manded the immediate cessation of
hostilities. La lesss than year from
that time Lee had surrendered at Ap-
pomattox and the Stars aud Stripes
ioated over every foot OF the national
domain. They opposed all reconst true
tloh legislation and have continued to
oppose ali important legislation from
that time to the present, including the
adoption OF the gold standard, which
they now endorse. But, notwlthstand-
ing such opposition, the republican
party, under necessary and timely leg
islatiOn, supplemented by the benefi-
cial results OF protective tariff, con-
tinued for period OF thirty years 10 so
administer the affairs of the govern
ment as to create the most prosperous
times the country had ever enjoyed,
which prosperity continued until
checked by the baneful influence of the
Wilson German tariff bill, which infiu-
ence was not checked until the passage
OF the Dingley tariff bill. Surely our
democratic friends In their felicitons
reference to their achievements do not
refer to anything they have accom-
plished within the last forty -four years.
But they are death on trusts, and In
their platform make insldlous attack
upon protection by attributing the en-
istence OF Objectionable combinations
OF capital TO the fostering influence of
protection. They criticise and de-
nounce the methods used la securing
possession OF the Right OF Way nee
essary for the construction OF the Isth-
milan canal, but want to hold on 10 IL,
and want the honor OF constructing Ii
and the handling of the vast sums nf
money required to be expended In its
construction. The most important
thing for all republicans to do between
now and the closing Of the polls on the
9th OF November Is to vote the straight
republican ticket. II Is the duty OF all
republicans.
M. I'll. BAUGH.