The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-09-13
HOME MARKET AND THE TARIFF
Domestic Transportation Charges An
nualIy Exceed Amount Of
Eoreian Trade.

'feNNs
Americans are much inclined TO
boast of the vast foreign commerce OF
this country, which has suddenly shot
upward, until now our exports and i'm
ports total almost $4,000. 100000. But
few persons ever think what a mere
bagatelle this is in comparison with
our domestic commerce, the trade be
tween different parts of the United
states by railway, highway, river and
canal, and by lake and coastwise YES
sells. One significant sign of the inn
portance and value of this home trade
is shown by the totals for railway
earnings. now jumping upward at an
annual increase of 10 per cent. Ac-
cording TO preliminary report OF the
interstate commerce commission. the
gross earnings of the railroads of the
United States. covering approximately
$4,000 miles OF road, will show. for
the fiscal year ending June so. at least
that rate of excess over the s2.073. 0O0,-
600 earned in the preceding fiscal
year. Official statistics will not be re-
turned by some of the roads for sew
eral-months. but the increases that
have been shown month by month dur
ing the year and the final reports OF
many roads give reason 10 believe that
the expected 10 per cent increase will
be realized.
II to this expected total of $3.50.
100000 railway earnings the freights
collected for other transportation with.
in the United States in the last fiscal
year were added. the gross amount
would doubtless exceed $4,000. O00. 600.
In other words, the mere Transports
ton charge on our internal commerce
amounts annually to as much as the
total value of the commodities han
died in our entire foreign trade.
II has always been a principle OF
those statesmen who favored building
up our home markets by a system OF
judicious protection for American in
dustry that the home market was
many times more valuable and i'm
portant than any foreign market could
ever be. In view of the fact cited
above, IT would be difficult to dispute
this argument This vast home mar.
ket has been developed largely by pro
lection. which has provided employ
ment for millions of manufacturing
employees at the highest wages ever
paid, thus creating an unprecedented
market and the best prices for agricul-
tural products and other commodities
which are often not deemed within
the influence OF protective tariffs. To
tear down our tariff walls and destroy
this home market. in the chase for
imaginary foreign markets; TO throw
several millions of workmen out Of
employment, and thus lessen the peo-
pies power TO buy and consume the
products of the country's agriculture
this is the net meaning of the Dem
ocratic cutlery against Republican pro
lection. and of the campaign for con
troll OF congress which the Democratic
party is now waging.
Any tariff in force for nine years Is
bound to develop iniquities, and doubt
less present schedules are defective In
some particulars. They should be re-
vised, and will be, II President Roose-
velt's aims prevail But Democratic
congress will mean. not revision, but
destruction. There is no reason to
doubt that the country understands
this, or to imagine that the country
has any intention of turning congress
over TO the Democratic party.-Taco-
ma Ledger.