The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-09-12

A~ >Ss Ase &c AA ~ ~ A~LA -
production. The manufacturing estab-
| ushments tend steadily 10 migrate into
| the henrt OF the best agricultural dis
tricts. The center OF the manufacturing
industry In 1900 was near the middle or
Ohio. and II Is moving westward at the
rate or about % miles In every decade:
panied by a marked increase I'm the value
OF farm lands. Local causes. notably the
competition between new farm lands and
obscure what is happening. but II Is as
| certain as the operation OF any economic
law. that In the country as q whole farm
partnership between manufacturer and
| farmer grows more intimate through fur
ther advance OF Industrial science.
could have fisS placed this "t nation at the head
OF the manufacturing nations of the
world II he had not had behind him. se-
curing him every variety OF raw material
can farm, developed by the skill and the
enterprise OF Intelligent and educated
American farmers on the other hand.
| the debt of the farmers 10 the manufac-
turers In equally heavy. and the future
OF American agriculture is bound up In
the future Of American manufacturers.
the economic policy OF our government,
so closely interviewer. so mutually inter
| dependent. that neither can hope 10 main
progress without the other. Whatever
makes TO the advantage OF one is equally
10 the advantage Of the other:
SO II Is az between the capitsnst ana
may be an unequal sharing as between
the two IN the benefits that have come by
protection. but benefits have come 20
both. and reversal in policy would
mean damage TO both. and while the
damage would be heavy to all, II would
be heaviest and II would fall soonest upon
o lAN ~
each week or each month for that weeks
or that months work.
TO MEET NEW CONDITIONS.
Conditions change and the laws must be
modified from time 10 time 10 nj new exi-
principle OF protection, as 1t has been en-
bodied I'm all but one Of the American
tariff laws for the last 40 years. has
worked out results so beneficent. 20 even
ly and widely spread so advantageous
alike TO farmers and capitalists and
capitalists and worlngmen, 10 commerce
and trade OF every kind, that the Ameri-
can people. II they show their usual prac-
teal business sense. will insist that when
these laws are modified they shall be
modified with the utmost care and con-
servatism. and by the friends and not the
enemies CT the protective system. They
cannot afford 10 trust tho modification 10
those who treat protection and robbery as
synonymous terms.
In closing what / have 10 say about the
system OF promoting American industry
let me add a word of cordial agreement
with the policy OF In some way including
within it's benefits. by appropriate legisla-
tion, the American merchant marine. 1t
Is not creditable TO us a nation that
our great export and import trade should
be we'll nigh exclusively In the hands OF
foreigners
ARE THEY sINcERE7
II ia difficult TO know IL our opponents
are really sincere In their demand for the
reduction OF the army. II insincere, there
what shall we say in speaking TO rational
persons OF an appeal TO reduce an army
OF 60ooo men which is taking care OF The
interests OF over 100000 people? The
army In now relatively smaller than II
was I'm the days Of Washington, when on
the peace establishment there were $3.50
soldiers, while there were little less
than four millions OF population; smaller
tian II was in the peaceful days OF Jefrer-
son, when there were 6l0O soldiers TO
$500, 900 population. There Is now one sol
dier TO every 400 people In this country.
cannot be asked seriously TO argue as to
the amount of possible tyranny contained
I'm these figures.
can possibly be and serve its purpose as
an effective nucleus for the organization.
equipment and supply of volunteer
army I'm time of need II Is now used, as
never before. for aiding in the upbuilding
Of the organized militia OF the country.
The war department is engaged In sys-
teniatic effort TO strengthen and develop
the national guard in the several states:
az witness, among other instances. the
great field OF manoeuvres at Manassas,
which have just closed.
II our opponents should come into
power they could not reduce our army
below i.s present size without greatly
impairins it's efficiency and abandoning
part of the national duty. In short. In
this matter II our opponents should
come into power they would either have
to treat this particular promise Of the
year 1904 as they now treat the promises
they made in 1895 and 1900. that Is as
possessing no binding force; or else they
would have to embark on a policy which
would be ludicrous at the moment. and
fraught with grave danger TO the ma
tional honor In the future.
CHARGE OF ExTRAvAcANcE.
Our opponents contend that the gov
ernment Is now administered extrava-
gantly and that whereas there was "a
surplus Of $50, ,ooO 900 in 1900 there is "a
deficit Of more than $40. .000, 900 In the
year that has Just closed.
The deficit is imaginary, and Is OBJ
tanned by including in the ordinary cur
rent expenses the sum OF fifty millions.
which was paid for the right Of way of
the Panama canal out OF the accumu-
lated surplus in the treasury. Comparing
the current or ordinary expenditures for
the two years. there was n surplus Of
nearly eighty millions I'm the year 1900,
and OF only a little more than eighty
millions for the year that has Just closed.
But this diminution OF the annual sur
plus was brought about designedly by
the abolition of the war taxes in the
interval between the two dates. The
acts OF March 9. 1901 and April H. 1902.
cut down the internal revenue taxes to
an amount estimated at one hundred and
five millions a year.
In other words, the reduction Of taxa
tion has been considerably greater than
the reduction In the annual surplus