The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-03
SHURZ SENDS OUT
 STRONG LETTER
tcontinued from First Pase.)

I omic development the more become con- vinced that this country would have by this time been just as rich and prosper ous as 1t Is, had that development been permitted to take it's natural course without any artificial protection. It would be healthier, too, as the human body is healthier when brought up, not on medi- cal stimulats. but upon natural food. The economic activities would In some re- spects probably have taken different directions The distribution of the product and accumulated wealth would probably have been different too. and very like ly more wholesome. People would have relied more upon their own energies and less upon the government to make them rich. But, H. my opinion at least, the ag- gregate production of wealth and the general sta e of popular prosperity would not have been less.
 A Preposterous Idea.
 But, whether you agree with me in this academic view or not, upon one point, am sure, l cannot fail to have the assent of every candid man: the idea that this country, of all known countries, the rich est in natural resources, with It's labos the most intelligent, energetic. and pro- ductive labor in the world should need
 
 In any civilized country, to make our industries go and to save our people from ruin and starvation, Is so wildly Drepos- teTous that l do not understand how any s-sf respecting man can utter 1t. And vet that Is what we have-the highest protective tariff of any civilized country tarin which would have made Hamilton a1d Henry Clay stare in blank amaze ment. And this mere statement brands 111lN
 dacsous pretence-to the iteration of which. l regret to say, the President has recently again lent himself-that this tar if Is needed, or that it is one of it's main purposes simply to offset, in favor of the American laboring man. the difference between American and foreign wages No subterfuge could be more shameless l will not go into detail. Let any intel ngent man study the schedules of our tarlff, and what will he find2 He will look in vain for many protected indus tries that were satisfied with the com parative pittance of an offset for the diff ference between American and foreign wage scales, or which is another thing, between American and foreign labor cost In manufactured goods. But he will find many a tariff rate that makes cut of l method of raising revenue monstrous machinery of extortion He will find plenty of evidence to show him that when large part of our tariff is de- nounced as robbery" the word may be rude, but not unjust, and that the tariff. by levying tribute upcn the people. is promoting the unwholesome fungus growth of colossal private fortunes. Ard yet the economic aspect of the tariff question seems to me less omincus than It's moral and political bearing.
 Tariff and Horr,n4io.
 It is indeed time that the American people should open their eyes to the meaning of these notorious facts: large number of manufactuMng estab- lishments. as well as their allied tnter. ests, receive from the government fa vors or benefits of great money value in the shape of protective tariff legislation, Ire political party which, when in DOW er confers those benefits of great money value turns to the interests so benefited Tor pecuniary aid to support 1t in it's enorts to Keep itself in power or to re- gam power if 1t had temporarily lost it. The protected interests give to the poljt leal party that peeuniary aid of course. on the understanding that they continue to receive the cid or greater fayors If money value from the government through the instrumentality of the po- iitical party in question. I know tbar-
  rangement perfectly natural and unob- They ask whether 1t Is not quite proper that they should contribute money to keep in power the party which | they thus support or that the party | which they thus support with money | should give them legislation to reimburse | them with profit. The questici, so put | carries its answer with it. The very | Tact that some people call such a pre- | ceeding natural and unobjectionable only shows how that practice has confounded | tbeir moral principles. For what else is 1t than purchasing with money legisla- ton that will give the purchaser more money? What else is 1t than corruption In the grossest and largest form? What eises than system of government based upon corruption? John Bright one of the warmest friends this republic ever had fE England. and one of the best of men, once wisely said: ''There Is noth- Ing in public affairs that tends more to make men dishonest than the system of protection. It was so In thls country before our free trade era; it Is so DOW In the United States
 DHbauched Public Mind.
 This political lewdneas has already so nehaucheo the public min7 that the cor rupt business is done openly, without shame. The fect is net rious that the ' national election fires the fat" out of Its beneficiaress with the unuerstanoing that the benee.ciares will be protected Ill the enjcyments sf their benefits Il the yield ot the frying process is satis. factory, and if net mt. The eI shot Is | cou1 binaton of bripery ana blacs me.l car | riea on with hardly eny concealmept. In ! this very election csoco.gn IL has been | the common talk how the protected inter- ests and thIr affl,,a ti2ns such as same of the trusts ana rich financial firms are urged to make another money invest ment in tbe republican party. with the prospect Of q lucrative return. The effect of sucn practices, raised to the dignity of 8 system upon our public life Is obvious. The use of monay in elections is an old complaint which has troubled many a patrictic heart. But a generation aGc the evil was trtfle con- pared to what 1t Is new. The amount of money new needso by she republican par ty for running national cameaign is enormous. and constantly increasing. l say needed for as the cons i.uencies have become accustomed to a lavish flow of money in he political market and as the appetite grows with eating | the baneful ev.l gsows In vruleace from | erection to election. And this appalling i spreading of the old abuse is distinctly | owing to that economic policy which re- uuireo national system of corruption, | metnodically organized on the grandest | of scales, to enable the benefictaries of | government favor to secure themselves | In the enjoyment of their benefits Nor Is it hazardous to predict that this evil | m