Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-08-03

as are "1gaging the public mind at
this time. IL were asked to express
in few words the main points OF diff
ference between the two national
parties | would say: That Republi-
cans stand for high tariff and extrava-
gance, while Democrats stand for low
tariff and economy. The difference
between the parties on this question
is difference in degree, the Demo.
Gratis advocating reduction and re-
vision of present tariff rates, while the
party in power prides itself on
standing pat" on this issue. We do
not advocate free trade, but q tariff
for revenue only. Most of the criti-
cism to which the Republican party
is justly subjected ia the ontgrowth
of protective tariff. In tho begin
ming of our manufacturing era we
were told to foster and protect in
FAINT industries in order to produce
competing plants. This argument is
no longer effective, since these in
fants have grown to be strong and
corpulent, and by pooling their inter-
ests fix prices to suit themselves
while the government holds at bay
their foreign competitor. Under the
protective tariff American steel bars
sold last November III England for
less than $50 per ton. American
goods are shipped to Hawaii and
Porto Rico by trusts and sold there
at prices which enable the American
consumer to purchase them there,
pay the cost of shipment both ways,
and get them at less than they can
buy them in the home market.
To protective tariff is due the
large surplus that has accumulated
in the treasury, which is being de-
posted without interest in favored
national banks. Now, a surplus for
an individual, or perhaps a corpora
ton, is very desirable thing, but a
surplus of over one hundred millions
of government money, drawn and
kept from the avenues of trade, and
inviting extravaganza and fraud in
administration, is most dangerous
menace to popular government. If
you paid this tax directly as you do
your State and county taxes you
would feel the sting of this iniqui-
tous system. AS it is, you pay it in
every tool you use, in every article
you wear, at the rate of ten dollars
per capita for every man, woman and
child in the United States. Think
of this. This States proportionate
part of this tax would be about
eleven millions per annum, enough
to pay for every detail Of the State
government for period of at least
fifteen years, not including county
expenses, and similar proportion is
collected in every other State of the
Union. The Republican party pro.
tects the trusts by extorting from
their foreign competitors exorbitant
tariff rates, and the trusts in their
turn protect the Republican party
by contributing largely to its vote
subsdizing fund. Banks having the
surplus deposited with them do not
pay the government interest, but
they pay interest to the Republican
party in campaign contributions.
This excess of funds in the treasury
encourages extravaganza and official
dishonesty, or tends that way. The
last year of Mr.. Clcvcland's admins
tration cost this government $4lS,-
1862, while the last Congressional
appropriation of Mr.. Roosevclt's ad-
ministratioD, seven years later,
reached the enormous sum Of $751;
172,315, or more than 20 per cent in
excess of the last year Of Democratic
rule, and this amount does not in
clude $5O,000,000 appropriated to
the Panama canal. During Prcsi-
dent Ilarrison's tenure of Office he
deplored an accumulating surplus as
dangerous to good government, and
he was exercised to find way to get
rid of it.
Not so with the present admins
tration. It's imperial policy affords
an opportunity for shovcling it out
by the cart load amongst an alien
people who pay not dollar of the
tax. Pets of the administration are
sent TO Hawaii and the Philippine
Islands and paid salaries rivaling
that of the President himself. The
Governor of the Philippines receives
700 per annum, the Commission
ors $15, 1000, Justices Of the Supreme
Court $12,500, Circuit Judges 81, 900
and District Judges $4,000.
In our colonial possessions $780,
A W&