The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-11-09

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Opera House tonight. Democrats
from all parts of the State came here
and the accommodation for the audi
ence we're entirely inadequate: The
crowd proved to be the most demon
strive of any be had faced during
the day. The ovation lasted eighteen
minutes. most Of the audience being
on their feet shouting wildly, while
hundreds of them waved flags.
Judge Parker in his speech referred
to the shipping question as follows:
"The time has again come when we
need ships of our own. but they
should be built, not at the cost of the
Government, not from taxes drawn
from all the people. but as result OF
the enterprise of our people. They
should be designed and constructed
by the ingenuity of our engineers,
operated by our seamen and owned by
our people. Every landing place
along these limitless coasts of ours
ought to be a nursery, however rude.
for the sailor. Our products sent to
other countries should be carried in
American bottoms andsthat almost in
finite demand by our people for the
| products Of other countries should en-
able us to bring them everything that
their material comfort, education and
progress make it necessary or deslra-
BILE for them to use.''
Judge Parker commended Internal
ional arbitration, but thought our
best assurance for peace would be to
maintain only such an army as is ac-
tually needed. He then took up the
tariff question, reviewing the develop
ment of a high protective tariff,
which he said compelled Us to pay
more for the things we buy than we
otherwise would. He continued
elf collector from the Steel Trust
should ask you to contribute dollar
a year for each member of your fami-
1ly, would you do it? You cannot
| think of any argument that could per-
suade you to. Yet the celebrated sta
tistician. Edward Atkinson, asserts
that the steel interests collect an aver
age Of QUE dollar year for each per-
son with the aid of the tariff statute.
Precisely that result is accomplish
ed as to many articles by our present
tariff laws. Sewing machines, now
ing machines, farm implements of va
rious kinds, as we'll as a great num-
Der of articles every day purchased,
are made in this country and sold
abroad cheaper than they are sold
here. Some are sold one-ifth cheap
er, others one-quarter, and still
others third, after paying the ex-
pense of transportation across the
ocean. That fifth or quarter or third
represents the amount the purchaser
is obliged to place in the manufactu-
rer's box over and above the fair value
of the thing purchased, as evidenced
| by the price at which he sells it
abroad.
"He compels you to pay this
amount by reason of statute which
places the duty so high that foreign
CO npetition is cut off,
After pointing out the necessity for
the development of our foreign trade
Judge Parker addressed himself to the
trust question, saying:
| "Our opponents have the effrontery
to claim that they alone have shown
any desire to oppose the trusts. Their
claim is as false as it is fragrant.
$50 tar from this being the fact,
the record shows that time and again
the representatives of the Dmocratic
party have begun prosecutions under
the so-called Sherman Act, Attorney
General Olney BEGAN and Attorney
General Harmon continued to the end
the first successful prosecutions under
the antitrust law. Attorney General
Harmon asked for appropriations to
enforce that Act He reported to
Congress that witnesses against the
trust should be exempted from liza
bility so that they could not interpose
the plea of privilege. but it was not
needed by Republican Congress. He
asked for an appropriation to carry on
the work in both q special and gen.
eral respect, but Republican Con-
gress would not.
An indignant clamor, that was not
to be denied, at last forced the hands
of the Republican party, both in the
matter of legislation and of appropri-
alton. The statute creating the de-
partment Of labor and commerce was
passed and an appropriation of half q
million was made, The greater part
OF the moneys appropriated lies idle
in the public treasury, but the legis-
lation served it's purpose.
Born, as it was. of union be-
tween the trusts and the Republican
party, the parallel of this legislation
III scandalouS features does not exist
upon our statute books today.
"It puts into the hands of tie Pres
ident and of the Republican party the
means of continuing it's hold upon
the reiGs of the Government without
limit as to time, through the posses
sion of secrets Of trusts, which under
the terms of the legislation itself he
may or may not make public or pri-
vate, as be directs.
I'VE know full we'll how the oppor-
tunity for the use Of that legislation
has been availed of in this campaign.
No statute could have been better de-
. vised for the successful financing of
the present election of the candidate
Of the Republican party, or for its in
definite perpetuation in power.
'' Tn the promotion of Oor hnSjneS6