The Laclede blade., 1905-06-03
PROJECTIONS ADVANTAGES
Experience Has Taught the Country
the Benefits Of the Repub-
/ lican Tariff.

d
II is well that the people of this
country should bear in mind that the
democratic party is opposed to pro-
y tective tariff as principle OF govern
ment. and will do all in its power to
break 1t down. The proposed demo-
cratic policy, says the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, is tariff for revenue only,
and their free trade purpose Is 10
sweep away the whole protective sys-
tenn. Throwing open the gates to for
eign products necessarily means
competition with the world in wages.
as in other respects. A moments re-
Election is enough to show that Amerl-
can wages, which are much the high
est. cannot be maintained II the mar
gin Of protection is removed. Ocean
ships have now vast carrying capaci-
ty and cross the seas in half the time
formerly required. In single day To-
900 immigrants are sometimes landed
in New York, and the same ships
many thousand tons of freight. With
facilities of this kind, that may be add
ed to indefinitely, it Is clear that pro-
lection alone Is the bulwark against an
unlimited flood of foreign goods, and
the first to suffer would be American
wage-earners. Here is food for sober
minded thought when democratic bat
teries are playing on what that party
conceives to be any weak spot in pro-
fective lines. They welcome, and are
at great pains to exaggerate, every
vague charge that can be brought
against protection and that may be
used to divide its supporters. 1t Is a
reckless game, but it is a reckless party
that resorts to It.
In the matter of competing rates, the
development of American industries
under protection, and the high skill
and spirit that are the result of Amer
lean wages, have caused a great
growth in the exports of manufactured
articles from the United States, which
is the proof that, in general, our fac
tories turn out what is best and cheap
est. Our manufacturers are selling
abroad $50O,O00,00 of their products a
year, which they could not do unless
they had reached lead in quality and
prices. 1t will be time enough to say
they can be underbid when the figures
establishing the assertion are given.
Our shipping has not grown, like that
of Germany for example. for the sim
pie reason that the German policy is
to protect ships with subsidies and
preferential rates on inland railway
freights. No such aid is bestowed on
American ships, and SO our merchant
marine declines, while that of the Eu-
ropean countries where ships are fos.
tered by the government grows rapidly
Foreign ships crews are not as well
paid as those on American vessels. But
the American standard will never be
sacrificed unless party different from
that now in power takes control. 1t is
admitted that this country, where ship
subsidies have been defeated by fill
clustering democrats in congress, can.
not vie with the subsidized shipping
of Europe, but our manufacturers own
to no disability to compete. abroad as
well as at home, along protected lines
What have been the lessons Of ex.
perience in the United States in regard
to republican and democratic tariffs
and republican and democratic ldmin-
istrations? Citizens must have short
memories who have forgotten the peri.
Cd between 1894 and 1897, with its
mongrel democratic tariff reform. It's
millions of unemployed men and Its
long period of business depression
Perhaps there are some who will not
learn even in the school of experience
but 1t cannot be believed that persons
Of that caliber form majority of the
people Of this country. When tariff re.
vision becomes necessary the only or.
ganization that can perform the duty
safely is the party Of protection, the
friends of the policy that has been test.
ed and found good. Ask democrat
If he is for protection in any form and
he will answer in the negative, or mus,
avow that on that subject he disagrees
with his party. The democratic fight
Is not on inequalities that may, In
course Of time, develop in a protective
tariff; the democratic party wars on
protection itself.