The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-22
CHARLEf E. .LITTLEFIELD

Copyright, f904, 6y the Neso York HerGld Co. By CHARLES E. LITTLE
 FIELD,
 Representative in Congress from Maine.
 HHE Republican candidate for
 President of the United States is
 practically chosen. In character,
 ability and statesmanship MT.
 Roosevelt Is a man behind whom
 the Republicans of the whole
 country will go into the campaign a united organization.
 While I have no commission to speak for the republican party, I think I voice a prevailing sentiment among Its members when I say that. with the money question relegated to the rear after two decisive trials. the protective tariff again comes to the front as the one great issue upon which the republican and democratic parties are fundamentally opposed This question was brought to the front in both branches of Congress during it's closing days and was discussed on the floor of the Senate and House by members of both parties who apparently accepted it as the main issue of the coming contest.
 Whatever may be said by democratic leaders in an attempt to prove that repub- licans are inconsistent on this question of the tarin, think 1t is almost unanimously accepted within the republican party itself that its present attitude Is strictly in line with the Biaane-M Mckinley -Dingley view of protection At the proper time and in the pror CT way the republican party, should it be continued in power. will not hesitate to revise those schedules of the present law which have served their purpose and are no longer useful. But where there is a duty still to be performed for American labor and deserving American capital, and under the conditions that will be for many years to come, the tariff must be maintained.
 It is fact well known throughout the length and breadth of this country that many corporations, especially large cor porations, have a comparatively smau Il basis Of actual value for their existing capitalization. do not believe in irnpos- Ing tariff that would provide for an ac- cumuiataon of profits to pay dividends upon salis oVercapnaiization. which is popularly hho"n as wind and water" and very alt tenuated wind and water at that.
 As"n' as To the question of selling apioao Tor less price than an American manu1acturer actually sells at home T wisn To state here and now that flru,lv aovocare change in the tariff whenever and wherever by reason Of that tariff n| American manufacturer is aabIa to saI, abroad cheaper than he sells at home On these two details of the proteot,vs to orJfe system am of course speaking for r,1.aif alone. but I state without fear of con Ur.o1 ra- publican who does not stand on the sanoe ground
 Broad and Sound Principle. z
 The broad and sound principle of tb. protective tarin should be applied to every industry, agricultural or man,rfactur,nr which needs 1t in order to insure tha ra S' ment Of fair rate of wage and fair return upon actual capital invested AZ without regard to locality, whether s,,ch industries be in Louisiana, Texas CsM fornia or Maine, and without rena,. = the men who may be financially intar. ested, the republican party, so far as have been able to define It's Ideas. believes that such application is the true protectival tariff principle. In one campaign after another vve bav. heard arguments supposed to sustain and maintain a btopian theory for fiscal ler- isiauon. They have come from the oppos- ing political party and long ago wersl threadbare. toll worn, travel stained and moth eaten. They have to be met and doubtless will be met in the coming cam paign, because they achieve a new distinc- ton and possibly attraction from their oratorical display by new leaders in the democratic party. Abstract theories concern very little the people for whom we legislate. Theory alone never filled stomach, clothed a back, built a house or moved a shuttle What do the people themselves desire to know? Results.
 They have a right to know and desire to know what particular law enacted by Congress will do for the country. They see the effect of such law and on this ef- feet they determine whether or not the American people shall stand by a certain policy. They are concerned very little as to what theory produces leeislation. whether 1t be protection or free trade. It is the result of the application off that theory that concerns the actual welfare prosperity and happiness of a great people Results Qutokfy Seen.
 There Is no legislation whose res,,,a .u. so quickly and plainly seen by inc neonle themselves as that affecting tha Amer ican system of protection. Ana f. is n, this legislation that the republican nartn stands as a general principle with ,ts fs.t planted firmly upon the rock. No tbaor,s can long stand, no matter how corract as a theory alone, that cannot stand Nra. the test of the stern and inexorab,a loot, of events. And results alone as seen a,,S felt by the people themselves, determ,r,s that test Bismarck said ..I hasa -I' opiuion on the practical experience ~ time see countries under protactto,, prospering and countries under free trade decaying-
 If is upon the result of observations bv far seeing men like Bismarck, who pre- ferred fact to theory, and no less upon the conservation of the wage worker and cap- italist. who also prefer fact to theory. that the republican party rests its cause hefore the people The tariff was made for man and not man for the tarifr, and that party alone is useful to the people which will make changes when changes are shown by results to be necessary Results up to the present time have only proved conclusively, one year upon another. that by the republican party is the best for all the people of the United States.
 In the application of the tariff principleI legislation for that purpose may simply degenerate into selfish scramble betweenl