The Alamogordo news. (Alamogordo, N.M.) 1899-1912, 1906-10-13
DEMOCRATIC
OOaAsS
CONGRESSIONAL
CAMPAIGN TACTICS BASED ON
FALSE PRETENSE.

Attack on Protection Ve!Icd Tcaiad
the Pretense That the Tariff Must
Be Reduced SO as to Compel the
Trusts to Lower Prices.
1t is perfectly evident that TIE pur-
pose of the Democrats will be to con.
duet the coming congressional cam
paign as nearly on the lines Of the
tariff as possible without rendering a
direct issue on that question. The evil
dence supporting this proposition is
found in the preliminary speeches put
forth for circulation By Democratic
leaders in the house, in which they
center their attack upon the protective
policy by indirectiop and dwell more
specifically upon the reports regarding
sales of American goods in foreign
markets at prices lower than such
goods bring in the domestic markets.
The fact that the aggregate sales
abroad at these low prices amount to
but an insignificant fraction, estimated
to be possibly 80 cents ON 500 worth
sold abroad and bearing but relative
ly inconsequential ratio to the i'm
mense production of commodities by
the prosperous mills and factories of
the country, is utterly ignored by the
enemies of the protective system In
this onslaught upon the protective
tariff.
Attention has also been called to the
fact that Mr. Bryan in his utterances
recently while in Germany when he
was informed of the uprising of his
party associates in favor of making
him the nominee for the presidency
again this year demonstrated that he
approaches the issue of the tariff some
what gingerly. Doubtless he recalls
his free trade record in the house of
representatives in 1894 and he realizes
that the country will be able to find no
instance of his having recanted the
views he then entertained in avowed
hostility to protection. Mr.. Bryan,
while admitting now that he is in
favor Of a reduction of duties on i'm
ports into the American markets,
chooses to divert attention from this
declaration by intimating that in his
opinion the next presidential contest
will be fought upon the issue of the
trusts.
While this statement by Mr. Bryan
will afford evidence that he is still the
adroit politician which his friends have
always recognized him to be, it Is not a
statement calculated to mislead any
body who is familiar with Mfr. Bryan's
record on the tariff question. 1t Is well
understood by everybody who gives
thought to present economic conditions
and to the political prospects Of the
next two years that substantially the
only issue that will be raised between
the Republican and Democratic parties
in the campaign in 1908 will be protec-
ton versus free trade. Mr.. Bryan's
party will cloak its attack upon pre-
lection by a proposition to destroy the
trusts by admitting foreign competing
BOOuo W tuC VI NuG OuIlGu
States upon terms that certainly will.
be destructive to the manufacturing
and producing industries Of this coun-
try and demoralizing to the wage earn
ers throughout the land, just as was
the system which Mr.. Bryan's party,
with his aid and encouragement, ac-i
complished with the Democratic tariff
act of 1894. s.
The success Of the protective tariff
law during the past year, as well as
during the entire nine years OF Its ex-
lstence, will he splendid vindication
Of the soundness and wisdom Of the
protective policy. 1t is well to call at
tention to the fact, however, that with
out any specific proofs Of the efficiency
Of the protective tariff IN promoting in.
dustrial Development, insuring high
wages and producing adequate revenue
there are many other reasons why the
tariff should not be demolished simply
for the nurnosa of encouraging Mr.