Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1906-12-14
BROKEN rLEDeEs.

ASPoDAS11 premsse OF keclpr0c1fy I'm
mifflisd Trus,s ana Combines csnsrol.
The promise Of reciprocity 80 as to
overcome the prchibitive features II
the tariff law has been cardinal de-
clarstion of the Republican party but
has never been redeemed When the
treaties Of 1890, negotiated by the Har-
rison Administration, were repealed by
the tariff act Of 1894 the Republican
party claimed that X rioas injury had
been inflicted on the trade Of the coun-
try. In the Republican platform or
1896 1t was declared, that, the repeal Of
these treaties was nothing less than "a
national calamity and further de-
clared that: Protection and recil re-
city are twin measures OF Republican
/ policy and go hand In hand. Demo-
cratic rule has recKlessly struck down
both and both must be reestablished. y
This double promise wss only half re
deemed by the passage Of the Dingley
tariff act, in which the rates OF duty on
many articles were purpsseIy made 20
per cent higher than was necessary for
the purpose Of protecting the trusts
and combines which could be used a.
basis for trade in rates with those
countries which would enter Into reci-
! procity treaties with US. The trust
magnates having secured this enor-
nous protection for their products
have been very loath to relInquish any
part Of 1t and although President Me-
kinley caused reciprocity treaties to be
made with number of nations reduce
Ing our duties 20 per cent the trust in
fiuence with the Republican leaders in
Congress WAS too powerful to allow
those treaties to be ratified.
| 30 reciprocity is dead and the Re-
publicans still stand pat by not only
refusing to ratify the promised reci-
procity but also refuse to revise the
tariff that was purposely made too
high.
The selfish trusts and combines have
obviously dominated the Republican
party to the great detriment and loss OF
/ the people, who not only have to pay
these high rates OF duty on imported
products, but also have to pay
the tax of greatly increased prices that
1.-The protected trusts and manufactures
are enabled to charge by reason Of no
domestic or foreign competition. They
have eliminated competition by COM
i'bining in restraint OF trade and have
succeeded in preventing tariff revision
SO that competition from abroad is
also impossible, except In certain
classes of foreign goods which our con-
sumers are willing Q pay for with the
high tariff tax added.
The result has been that nearly all
foreign countries. except Englan6
have greatly increased their tariff
duties rs d measure Of retaliation
against the United States and even The
| British Colonies If Canada, Australia
and Natal are now engaged in enact
ing protective tariff against our pro
ducts. Our relations with Germany
have become so strained that our State
Department has sent special delcgs-
ton OF experts to that country to in
vestigate the German tariff law and
try and effect some compromise, or ar
rangement, that will prevent the Ger
! man government from enforcing her
prohibitive tariff duties from becoming
effective July 1st next and which
would have become effective last July
unless the German government had
not put off its enforcement at our re-
quest.
As the protected trusts and combines
are evidently more powerful with the
Republican leaders than the plunder-
ed people who are compelled to pay the
high trust prices, it is probable that
tlriff revision and the promised reel
procity with foreign nations will be
again postponed by standpat Con-
gress. Nor is there reason to believe
that the Sixtieth Congress which will
meet In regular session in December,
| 1907 will be any more likely to fulfill
the promise OF reciprocity, or curb the
rapacity of the trusts by revising the
tariff that protects those corporations.
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