Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-13

these rights. whether brought about by
individual or government agencies.
should he enforced by every official and
supported by every citizen.
The present tariff law is unjust In its
operation. excessive in many of its rates
and so framed in particular instances as
10 exact inordinatc profits from the peo-
pie. So well understood has this view be-
come that many prominent members of
the Republican party and ut least two of
its state conventions have dared to voice
the general sentiment on that subject.
That party seems. however. to bc col
lcctivcly able to harnv:i.iZc only upon IA
plank that admits that revision may from
time to time he necessary. but il IL So
phrascd that IL is expected To be salts
factory To those who favor an increase
Of duty. to those who favor "a reduction
thereof and to those opposed to any
change whatever.
Judged by the record of performance
rather than that of promise on the part
OF that party In the past IL would seem
as II the outcome in the event of its sue
cess would be- to crafty the latter class.
With absolute control Of both the lcgs-
lative and executive departments of the
government since March g. 1897. there has
been neither reduction nor an atterlpt at
reduction in tariff duties. II is not unrea-
Sonable to assume in the light of that rec
ord that future congress of that party
will not undertake revision Of the tariff
downward in the event that II shall re-
ceive ar endorsement of its past course on
that subject by the people. II is a fact
and should he frankly cor"cicd that
should our party he successful in the
coming contest we cannot hope to secure
majority in the senate duiing the next
four years. and hence we shall he unable
to secure any modification In tho tariff
save that To which the PcDu3lican ma
joritv in the senate may conS' mt. While
therefore are unable To give assur-
anccs of relief To the people from such
excessive duties "s burden them. IL is due
to them that we should state cur position
to he in favor Of a reasonable reduction of
the tariff. that believe that il Is de-
mandcd hv the hest interests of both man
ufacturcr ard consumer. and that n wise
and bcncticcnt revision Of the tariff can
be accomplished as soon as both branches
of congress and an executive in favor
Of IL are elected without crcntinG that
sense Of uncertainty and instability that
has on other occasions manifested itself.
The combinations popularity called
trusts. which aim to secure Il monopoly
of trade in the ncccssaries Of life as well
as in those things that are employed upon
the farm. in the factory and In many 9TH
er fields of industry have been encour-
aged and stimulated by excessive tariff
duties. These operate to furnish sub
Stantial market in the necessities of
eighty millions of people by practically
excluding competition. With so large
market and highly remunerative prices
continuing long after the line of possible
competition would naturally be reached.
the temptation of all engaged In the same
business to combine so as to prevent COM
petition at home and n resulting reduc-
tion of prices has proved irresistible In a
number of cases. All men must agree
A.. NN...w To-. AH.AA
foster such inequitablc conditions Is most
unfortunate for the people as n whole
and II would seem as IL all ought to agree
that the effective remedy would be to ap-
propriatcly modify the offending law.
What is needed in addition to the pass
age of a statute revising the tariff duties
to reasonable basis is not so much
other and different laws as officials hav-
ing both the disposition and the courage
to enforce existing law.
1t is difficult to understand how any
citizen of the United States. much less
a descendant of revolutionary stock can
tolerate the thought of permanently de-
nying the right of self-government to the
Filipinos. Can We hope to instill into the
minds of our descendants reverence and
devotion for government by the people
while denying ultimately that right 10 the
inhabitants of distant countries whose
territory we have acquired either by pur-
chase or by force? Can we say to the
Filipinos. Your lives. your liberty and
your property may he taken from you
without due process Of law for all time"
and expect we will long glory In that fea-
ture of Magma Charta which has become
incorporated. in substance and effect. into
the constitution of every state as well as
into :he fourteenth amendment 20 the
constitution of the United States?" Can
We hope for the respect of the civilized
4 ,l~sr
cry citizen of the United States that no
law shall he made or enforced which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of
citizens of the United States deny to
any person the equal protection of the
laws and at the same time not only deny
similar rights to the inhabitants of the
Philippines. but take away from them
the right of trial by jury and place their
lives and the disposition of their property
in the keeping of those whom we send to
them to be their governors. The accident
of war brought the Philippines into our
possession. and we are not at liberty to
disregard the responsibility which thus
came to us. but that responsibility will
be best subscrvcd by preparing the islam
ders as rapidly as possible for self-gov-
ernment and giving to them the assuran-
ces that il will come as soon as they are
reasonably prepared for II.
The display of great military arma-
mentS may please the eye ana TOT tn0
moment excite the pride of the citizen.
but il cannot bring to the country the
brains. Drawn and muscle of single i'm
migrant or induce the investment here
OF dollar of capital. OF course such ar
mamcnt as may be necessary for the
curity of the country and the protection
of the rights of its citizens at home or
abroad must be maintained. Any other
course would be not only false economy.
but pusillanimous. ] protest. however.
against the feeling now far too prevalent.
that by reason of the commanding posi-
tion have assumed in the world
must take part in the disputes and broils
of foreign countries and that because we
have grown great We should intervene
in every important question that arises
in other parts of the world. I also pro-
test against the erection of any such
military establishments as would be re-
quired to maintain the country in that
| attitude. We should confinc our interna-
tional activities solely to matters in
| which the rights of the country of our
| citizens are directly involved. That Is not
situation of isolation. but of indepen-
dencc
The government of the United States
was organized solely for the people of the
| United States While IL was contemplate
ed that this country should become a
I