Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-04-18

change in the attitude of the south on
the tariff question, that that section
will favor protection as the other
states have been doing and that these
combined votes in congress make it
practically impossible to reduce the
tarlff?'
I have noticed that theory which
lines up with the facts is a most con-
venient thing, aud | have further
noticed that a theory which does not
line up with the facts is about the
most announcement thing a man can
carry around in his head. Suppose
we take look at the facts for a mo-
ment. You remember the Oyster Bay
order sent out to the faithful east,
west, north and south. to 'stand-pat"
on the tariff, don't NEEDLE with 1t,
don't open any discussion OF it."
And yet the November returns showed
the democrats to have gained TOUR
members of congress in the Middle
Atlantic states; in seven western states
the democrats gained thirteen men,
hers of congress, while the eleven
southern states elected ninety six
congressmen and all are democrats.
1t would seem that the south where
these new mills are at work, Is not YET
:.favoring" high tariff taxes to an
alarming extent, nor does a repub-
lican loss of thirteen congressman
from the western states show the high
tax party to have a stranglehold on
the farmers of that section.
But beyond and above this, how
ever. [ believe the American people
have instructive love of justice, IN
stinctive hatred of injustice, and 1t is
because of this belief that l cannot
think they will long endure the lnJoS-
tfce of high tariff taxes. This sense
OF Justice is slow to assert ITSELF 100
slow. we impatiently think at times,
Init bear in mind if 1.-THE mills OF the
gods grind slow, they grind to pow
der"
Some who read this will recall be-
cause they took part in, the marvellous
development of these western states
How the people eager to make homes
bore the hard, wearing, scanty lives
of the pioneer with courage that
was sublime. How to build school
houses, bridges and railroads ana
mills, towns and counties were mort
gagged; by their votes tarltt tax
high enough to sustain the nation
amid the upheaval of rebellion was
not onlv continued but actually IN
creased. The future held out hope.
The more railroads built, the more
there would be, insurlng
reasonable freight rates. The hlgher
the tariff tax, the more manufacturing
plants there would be to compete with
each other, hence reasonable prices
for the necessities Of life with mar
ket for their crops at their own doors.
A nice theory which has proved to be
cover for a contemplate fraud.
Where is the man who believes those
railroads, are competing to give
reasonable rates in carrying freight
for the people whose labor and land
and money has built them?
Is there such thing as competl-
tion among manufacturers for whose
benefit high tariff taxes are imposed?
With the tariff shutting out cOmpetl-
ton of the world have they not lined
up into trusts to choke competition
among themselves here? And have
thew not succeeded until trust-made
goods at trust-made prices are about
the only stock our merchants can
offer their customers?
Is the farmer, who must and who
does meet the competition OF the world
in the sale of his grain and meats, is
he, say treated justly when COMPEL
ed to buy tariff-taXed supplies from
trusts sheltered by a tariff? If you
think the farmer does not know the
hot end of the poker has been thrust
into his hands, just ask him what he
thinks about the tariff-sheltered trusts
selling farm implements, wire and
building material cheaper to the farm
ers of Canada, South America, Mex
leo, Europe and Asia, than those
trusts will sell the same things to him.
+. NJ DYER.