The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-25
DO HONOR
 TO GOVERNOR FOL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE IJ


 even within recent years, the trade te rtories of our industries were confin to the boundaries of county, state at the utmost of the United States.
 The world is now the business field our great industries. They sell in con petition with all the world abroad an have no right to ask that they be pro tected from competition abroad and home. New inventions have annihlate, time and space. The different nations the world are now closely connected il point of time and communication. As tn. nation increases in population and pow CT, as time and space continue to be an- initiated so must our commerce broaden We cannot always sell abroad and never buy Trade restrictions abroad breed trade retaliation at home, which even now are being felt. In order to give us an outlet for our enormous productions 1t Is necessary that there be reciprocal trade relations with the leading nations. Lawful commerce needs no special priv ileges to protect 1t. It wants only free dom of opportunity to exercise it's fac- ulties and employ -.s resources.
 Monopoly Tariff.
 A monopoly taritl is not necessary to protect the American workingman was never intended to do so, and has never had that result. It Is self evident that if a. tariff equal to the difference between the cost of labor in this country and abroad Is necessary to keep wages of American laborers on their present basis. then American made goods could not con- pete with European goods, for as the American laborers receive more the Amer ican products could not be sold at the same prices as those made by cheaper European labor.
 Entrenched behind the indifference Of the people, this protective tariff system has distorted the functions of free government In the guise of protection to American industry, dissembling as friend to American labor, the protective tariff operates as a cloak for cunning, as a shield for monopoly, a tax upon in- dustry a fine upon labor, and finally, in it's last analysis. it is graft and false pretense conceived in greed and brought forth in avarice.
 The tariff is essentially a consumers tax, tax upon consumption, upon the things of daily use. And as every tax upon consumption tends to limit con sumption, it must, precisely in the same proportion tend to limit and discourage production for it is the consumer alone who affords employment, to the producer. Therefore, when burdens are imposed upon the consuming public, to the same degree and to the same extent shackles are mt upon the productive forces of so- ciety whatever tends to restrict or d. minish the demand for that which labor produces also tends in the same degree to rob legitimate industry of its employ ment. discourages labor and places premium upon incidence.
 Origin of Trusts.
 Fortified behind this wall or tariff pro lection. gigantic trusts have sprung up controlling the necessities of life, where by the cost of living has been increased enormously during the past few years Until these tariff privileges are eradica Ii ed the trust question can never be se tied. It is well enough to prosecute truH for violation of the law; but it is harry practicable to suppress the trusts vl'h one hand while the other is feeding t.ein with the milk of protection on which nes grow fat and arrogant. Those wh'Feh- joy special privileges condemn gosel ment supervision of public servic' co. porations as being destructive of ild,V.u- ual effort and yet they fnconsstehe's contend that they cannot stand alone ana must have the support of tariff priN,- ] leges. It ii not paternal for the people