Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-10-17
BRYAN ON ISSUES.
TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING
SAFER THAN THE TARIFF.
Would Be Glad to Use War on Wealth
and Government Ownership Of
Railroads as Substitutes for
the Always Dangerous Adj
Vocacy OF Free
Trade.

Vocacy Of Free
Trade.
One-twelfth OF Mr. Bryan's speech in
Madison Square garden on the night
OF August 80 was devoted To the tar
in. The other eleven-twelfths were
taken up with the effort to frame is
sues that may override the tariff
issue in the campaign OF 1908. With
the tarin as a paramount issue, the
democrats have not Jared well in
presidential elections. They would
greatly prefer some other issue. Mr..
Bryan has been trying TO find one.
In his search he has uncovered some
rather dizzy substitutes for the tar
III as an issue. War on predatory
wealth and death 10 plutocracy" is
one OF them. Railroad rate regula.
ton through United States govern
ment ownership of other than trunk
lines is another issue which Mr.
Bryan hopes may obscure the tariff
issue. Both propositions are sufi-
ciently radical TO divert attention
somewhat from the Democratic par
" hopalessly bad tariff record pro-
Vided the party can be induced to
stand for so radical a departure in
the direction of socialism and cen
tralization. But there are unmis
taxable signs OF revolt. especially
among the predatory plutocrats and
the southern Democrats Already Mr..
Bryan Eerceives his blunder. and is
Fastening to give assurance that these
revolutionary ideas are his own mere
ly, and not intended for incorporation
In the national platform.
so. In time. Mr. Bryan will be COM
PEELED TO get back to the tariff. There
VIII be little else left to talk about
Tor the Republican party has shown
that railroad rates can be regulated
without contiscation or government
ownership. and that trust evils can
be remedied without disturbing pro
tecuon to American labor and indus
Try. The Democratic nominee for 1908
promises TO consider the tariff ques-
ton more at length at an early day.
Assuredly he will. Being compelled
to abandon some OF his startling radi-
calisms lest he brighten away the sun
port that was unanimously his prior
to his speech of August 80. he will
have no choice but to fall back on
the tariff. Here he will be on ia
miliar ground. Always free trader.
always an enemy of the policy of pro-
lection, and always certain OF a sym
pathetic hearing on the subject. he
can saGeIySlaunch his rhetorical thun.
derbolts AGAINST any tariff designed to
foster adoIhestic industrialism and do
nestle wage paying. Mr.. Bryan's
line ofapr3cedure on the tarif ques-
ton was distinctly marked ovt when
In his speech at Madison Square gar
den he said:
The tariff question is very closely
allied to the trust question, and the
reduction of the tariff furnishes an
easy means of limiting the extortion
which the trusts can practice. While
absolute free trade would not neces.
sarily make a trust impossible. still
1t is probable that very few manufac-
turing establishments would dare to
enter into trust If the president were
empowered to put upon the free list
articles competing with those con
trolled by a trust While / shall take
occasion at an early day to consider
the tariff question more at length. I
cannot permit this opportunity to pass
without expressing the opinion that
the principle embodied i'm the protec-
tive tariff has been the fruitful source
of great deal of political corruption
as well as the support OF many of our
most iniquitous trusts
1T is difficult 20 condemn the man
ufacturers for uniting TO take adyan-
tage Of a high tariff schedule when
the schedule Is framed on the theory
that the industries need all the pro-
lection given. and IL is not likely that
the beneficiaries OF these schedules
will consent 10 their reduction so long
as the public waits for the tarif to
be reformed by it's friends.
But one of the worst features of
tarit levied not for revenue. but for
the avowed purpose Of protection. is
that IT fosters the idea that men
should use their votes to advance their
own financial interests.
The manufacturer has been AZ
sured that IL is legitimate for him
to vote for congressman who. what
ever else their opinions on other sub.
jects may be. will legislate larger div.
idends into his pockets; sheep grow
ers have been encouraged to believe
that they should have no higher aim
In voting than TO raise the price Of
WOOL; and laboring men have been
urged to make their wages their only
concern. For a generation the fat
has been fried out Of the manufac-
turers By the Republican campaign
committee, and then the manufac.
tuTers have been reimbursed by leg
islation.
With the public conscience edu.
Gated TO believe that this open Dur.
chase Of Legislation was entirely pron.
err no wonder that insurance com.
uanies have uqod Tho rrCro,, - 80