The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-16
THE FIRST GUN OF SHAW'S CAM
PAfGN

PAIGN.
To the Editor: The speech of Sec
rotary Leslie M Shaw last week before
the Virginia Republican State Conven-
ton at Roanoke was a typical RepuD-
lican gloritication, misrepresenting our
political history and giving credit to
his party's benign rule for every bless
ing the people of the United States are
now enjoying; and he SO thoroughly
warmed the patriotic hearts of his
audience that they "ovated" him as
suitable successor of President Roose-
welt. 1t would require a volume to eX-
plain the truths of history which ne
ignored or misrepresented; and the
reader shall not be asked to do more
than follow him a few PAGES along his
devious path.
Knowing very we'll l suppose, that
there has not been a sO-called DEM
oCratic free trade" tariff since 1861,
except the short-lived Wilson act
which was so protective that MI
Cleveland refused to approve 1t, ne
makes this astounding assertion:
whenever the Democrats have put
their policies in operation we have had
the cheap products of labor for the
products of cheaper foreign labor
have found our markets III super
abundance All this is but
panic which has marked every expert
ment with tariff for revenue only from
the beginning of our history until
now" All this is in perfect accord
with the whole history of Republican,
instrumentation of the Democrats;
| but it leaves out of view some facts
which ought to be familiar to any man
who is fit for a responsible share In the
government of the United States.
The first notable impulse given To
| protection" followed financial dis
turbances which were alleged to be
the result of impOrtatlOnS OF cheap
pauper-made" goods from foreign
lands; but Daniel Webster. who was
the recognized leader of New England
| thought, denied this pretension ana
claimed that wildcat money was re-
sponsible for the disturbances. In the
debate on the tariff in 1924 he said
within my own observation there is
no cause for such gloomy and terrify'
ing representation. In respect to the
New England States"-to which at
that time manufacturing was almost
wholly confned-'with the condition
of which | am best acquainted, they
present to me period of very general
prosperity. Surprising the evil then to
be a depression of prices =;
the next inquiry is into the causes of
that evil. A deprecated currency eX-
listed in a great part of the country
ETC. See Bentons Thirty Years View,
Vol. l. Page SO. The claim, therefore,
that the want of protection was driV-
ing manufacturers out of business and
making tramps of their operatives may
be dismissed as a sample OF RepuDn-
can misrepresentation
The next important event in the tar
if contest was the enactment of the
law of 1916, which Mr.. Blaine de-
nounced as Democratic free trade.
In his debate with Mr.. Gladstone in
| the North American Review, January,
1890. he could not deny that general
contentment followed the passage or
this act, but he attributed the result
to many great aids of an adventurous
characteristic discovery Of gold III
California being among them. but
Mr.. Blaine and Mr.. Shaw SHE'D around
the fact that even the manufacturing
New England States were Sc we'll sat
isfied with free trade" that MaSsachu-
setts cast nine votes In the House of
Representatives in favor of and nor
one against a still further reduction OF
rates in the act of 1857-See Tariff
Compilation of 1884, Page 296. Inc
evidence, therefore, is entirely SauS-
factory that "stagnation and panic
did not find their way into the manu-
featuring centers when the Demo-
cratic free trade" was in force.
The speech is full of interesting
atements-carefully avoiding any
reference to the panic of 1873, but the
substance of his laudation OF the nc
publican party may be seen in TINS:
| 1.-THE opposition party promises the
American consumer the best market in
| the world in which to buy; the Repub-
! lican party promises the producer the
| best market in the world in which to
| sell" Certainly Secretary Shaw mas
| forgotten the fifteen cent corn OF the
| Western farmer and the four fsnd a
half cent cotton of the southern lar
mer: and it would be a curious re-
| suit if two prices for what the tarme"
| sells and two prices for what he buys
| should enrich him. But MIR. Shaw
| does not mean this; he knows that for
| eign prices for proVislonS-Wheal'
beef, pork. ETC., fix the prices III the
| United States, while the tariff fixes the
| prices of the manufactured goods sofa
| in the country. But, ever since the
Republican party has had control OF
! the government it has been engaged
| i'm this work of misreprcsentng the
| truth about Democratic responsibility
| for all the ills which have come upon
| the people; and Mr.. Shaw is simply
| re-echoing without any search for
| truth, the unfounded charges against
| the Democrats and the baseless claims
| of the Republicans.
b. f. GRADY.
| Clinton, n c., Aug. 5.
| JUMINA-Bright and Gay, light as
| day Come and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.