The Democratic advocate., 1907-12-13
Tariff Reform Now a Necessity.
Erom lhe baltimore county Demoerat.

From the Baltimore County Democrat
The presen: stringency in the money market
is most opportune for Democrats to bring
forcibly before the attention OF the country
not only the Justice, but the necessity from an
economic point of view of tariff reform. In
deed the present tariff under law which our peo-
nIe NAV truthfuly be said 10 suffer,is one OF the
thinus which visitors from other countries
cannot understand, especially as we claim that
ours is the most representative popular gov
ernment now existing or of which history gives
any acurate information. Nor can it. in any
logical way, be explained, for the law as 1t
now stands is clearly in the interest OF The
manufacturer who is not only able to compete.
but who is now underselling in most markets
of the world -
But even though the present law did not
allow the manufacturer to actually hold up the
American publcand to make it stand and
deliver, without bringing into the treasury of
the United States one cent; ;yet 1t cannot he
| excused as a revenue measure, for its best
| friends now acknowledge that many OF the
| schedules are too high, and that the income
therefrom is more than is necessary to con-
| duct our government, even upon the exien
| sive not to say extravagant scale upon which
| it is now being administered.
| In spite of the enormous appropriations
made by the last session of Congress, the IN =
crease in the salaries of members OF both
| branches of the national assembly and OF
other government officials. the granting of
S25. 900 a year as travelling expenses for the
| President, the surplus in the treasury at
Washington is now $240, 900, 900 and experts
| say that the surplus for the present fiscal year
| will increase this sum by over SlO0.0O0,OOO
additional And yet with this huge surplus
| the country has just been treated 10 the spec
tacle of having an additional $3.50. 900 600 of
interest bearing debt added TO the enormous
burdens which the p ople are carrying! And
all for the benefit OF the bankers. who are IN
a great measure, responsible for the stringency
| of the money market.
Even Republicans are awakening to the real
condition of affairs, and some of them have
not hesitated to condemn the action of Pres
ident Roosevelt and Secretary ofthe Treasury
Cortelyou, not only because their action had
no warrant in law, but because it bad
economically. Listen to Congressman Charles
n. Fowler, one of the most prominent Repub
lcan members ofthe House and chairman ot
the House Committee on Banking and
Currency.
"PersonaIIy," he said "and from IA party
standpoint, it is, of course, unpleasant for me
to disapprove the action of the Republican
administration. but my study of the question
involved and my duty to the public compel
me to set forth the reasons why the actloh oI
the administration is surprising, extraordi
nary, unwarranted and most unfortunate.
The difference between the Democratic
and Republican parties is not more marked
than upon this very question of tariff. Twice
the Democracy made this the issue in theil
campaign, and twice the party was victorious
The Republican party stands for the protec
ton of favored manufacturers. not as is
incorrectly supposed, the protection of the
mechanics. But for the sake of argument
let us suppose that the declaration that thai
party protects the mechanic is correct, upon
what ground of justice and equity can any
one class of men be favored against the whole
people? A majority of our people have alway:
subscribed to the doctrine that to take more
from the people than is necessary to conduct
the government is nothing else than robbery
As the defender of the present tariff law, the
Republican party now stands convicted o.
taking from the people $240,0 900 more
than was necessary to administer the gov.
ernment.
Now is the accepted time for the Democ
racy to take up the tariff issue and to press il
prominently before the public which is now
in the mind to consider it. Victory can once
more be won on this issue.