The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-03-10

control the next democratic national
convention. 1t is equally certain that
the opposition to Bryan aid Hearst,
in the convention, will unite upon
Cleveland; but Cleveland and Co. will
not be able to make the platform;
and, not being able to control the
platform. they will not be able to con-
troll the nomination. 1t will be i'm
possible for Cleveland to stand upon
any platform that Bryan and Hearst
will make, and, consequently, Mr..
Cleveland and his friends will have
to retire and leave Bryan and Hearst
to run the convention.
From one point of view it makes
little difference which side makes the
platform and nomination in the next
democratic convention; because, IL
Cleveland is nominated, he will pre-
sent tariff for revenue only, Or tariff
reform or tariff revision, (all OF which
mean the same thing), as the para
mount issue; and if Hearst and Bryan
or Bryan and Hearst are nominated,
they will also present tariff for rev.
enue only as the paramount issue.
# Bryan and Hearst do not present
the tariff as the paramount Issue, they
will talk enough about it and con-
demn protective tariffs SO much that
the republicans will be able to make
the tariff question the paramount is
sue. On this issue the republicans
Will certainly win and Hearst and
Bryan Cor Bryan and Hearst) will GER
tainly go down; because The demo-
f,. will ha fOn1ich nunn0h tO
the door for the republicans to bring
forth their great doctrine OF national
protection of American industries.
They will show that protection of
manufacturers not only makes the ma
,tion strong as against other compet-
ing nations, but that manufactures
make market for agricultural prod
ucts. With this line OF argument they
will carry the farmers IN the country
and the mechanics of the town and
city. They will carry every northern
state and nothing will.b left for the
democrats except the southern states,
where they have been preaching tar
if for revenue only for half century
and more
Free trade is not so deadly a doc
trlne as tariff for revenue only. There
are only two objections TO free trade,
namely, we cannot get the rest of the
nations to adopt it-and, if we could,
we must adopt some other method of
supporting the government before we
can think of adopting free trade.
For instance, we can open our ports
to the trade of all nations,~ but we
81 NJ ~
open her ports to us. Therefore. be-
fore we can have free trade, we must
take all other nations into our Union
an6 extend our laws all over the
world We can have reciprocal trade
by opening our ports to the trade of
other nations, on condition that they
open their ports to our trade but we
cannot have absolute free trade until
we can, in some way. govern all other
nations. Free trade, then, is a CHI
mera and cannot be thought of until
our laws extend round the world.
Again, before we can have free
trade we must provide some other
method of taxation for the support of
the national government. We are
now collecting about two hundred
millions per annum by way of duties
on foreign merchandise at the GUS
tom houses. II we should have free
trade. there would be no duties col
lected at the custom houses. and the
government would lose two hundred
millions per annum. and the wheels
of government would have To stop,
untll some other method OF taxation
were provided As yet, we have new
er been able 10 agree upon any meth
od OF taxation In case we should
adopt free trade. and, therefore. tree
trade has been an imposslhility.
MIR, Henry George and hls follow
ers proposed single tax upon lard
values as substitute for custom
house taxes and all other kinds OF
taxation. but SIR GeorEe aud his fol-
lowers have not been able to con-
vince the people that their kystem
Of TAXATION would prove practical for
the support Of the national govern.
ment, much iesa for The support OF