Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-05-03

The Lewiston. ME- Journal, for
merly owned and edited by Nelson
DingIey, habitually ignores the high
Iy important fact that the present
tariff for the reason that those schedu
les which Mr.. Dingley and his asso-
ciates purposely SIMS de too high,
and wisely made so, in order to allow
room for reduction by the promised
reciprocity that was provided in the
act, were repudiated by the Republic
can Senate at the demand of the in
terests thus overprotected. 1t is pal
pably unjust to the memory OF Nelson
Dingley to call the tariff rs it stands
by reason of that bold reputation of
policy and pledges by the name Of
Dingley. Ignoring that Reputation
the Lewiston Journal is a stalwart
and incorrigible standpatter, although
most of the Republicans of that fac
ton are frankly admitting that some
of the schedules are utterly indefsn-
sible and must be revised as soon as
the election Of 1908 is past. The Jour
nal says, and the special organ of the
standpatters, the American Economist
reproduces its remarks with evident
admiration, that: ave have a full
treasury, fine home trade, and record
breaking foreign trade! Suppose we
had free trade? The government had
to borrow money under the Wilson,
German law? Fer one of our Ameri-
can industries, except such as are
menaced by high finance and by our
failure to protect American shipping.
is handicapped. All business is fine
and railways can't handleit. Now, is
it best to tinker the tariff and so back
to the Wilson German law;or is it best
to regulate industrial conspiracy and
high finance and renew prosperity by
cutting out causes that make for IN
dustrial distrust and arrested credit?
The Dingley tariff promotes three
good results-domestic trade, foreign
trade, and easily paid tax, overflow
ing the treasuryp'
What is the use of talking about
free trade? The Democrats were they
in power. could not enact any other
tariff than a highly protective one.
That was demonstrated by the Wilson,
German act of 1894, very highly pro-
tectiye measure. Had not the Supreme
Court killed the income tax section of
that ae. it would have produced am
pie revenue. AS it was it came nearer
to meeting the expenditures OF the
government than did 1.-THE Mckinley
under which the Harrison admins
tration exhausted an immense surplus
and made preparations for the placing
of loan. But the Democra is are not
in power and are not likely to be so at
an early day. Not even a complete
triumph Ill 1908, carrying both the
Presidency and the House of Repre-
sentatives, which is Improbable, would
enable them to turn wheel in legis-
lation. The Senate is bound to be Re-
publican for more than one Congress.
And experien ,e has shown that when
one House of divided Congress
changes It's political complexion th
other House is apt to change, leaving
the situation prac .ically unchanged 1t
is an extremely conservative system
of government under which this re-
public has lived and prospered for mole
than hundred and eighteen year S.
What is expected is that, when next
years campaign is ended, the Repub.
licans, should they be triumphant will
revise the tariff, making it very much
less an instrument of oppression thar
it now is by bringing it nearer to the
intention of Nelson Dingley and hi
co-worksrs. And that, we confident
ly expect, will come to pass. The Re-
publican leaders now understand that
they cannot afford to resist the de-
mand in their own party for such re-
medal action Washington Post.