Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-08-29
HIGH TARIFF
oPPREssEs POOR
Mr.. BRAN MerciIessIy Riddles
Republican Position.
PLAYING ONLY FOR DELAY.

nigh DUTIES Levied at the behest OF
Selfish 5enehciaries. They Cannot
Be Lowered So Long as Those WIN
Profit Furnish the Republican Party
With the Sinews OF War-A Revenue
Tariff Will Not Reduce Wages or
Bring on Panie-Democratie Candi-
dates Mastery Address at Des
Moines. la.
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies' and Gentle
men In my notification speech | stated
that rs the campaign progressed
would discuss the question. shall the
People Rule" as II applies 10 the va
rious issues involved in this campaign.
begin with the tariff question because
II Is the most lasting of our economic
questions and the one upon which the
leading parties have most frequently
opposed each other.
IL will be noticed that the Republican
party has abandoned the earlier argu
ments advanced Ia support of high
tariff. We hear no more of the Infant
Industries" that must be tcndcrly cared
for until they can stand upon their
feet" there is no suggestion that the
foreigner pay the tariff and nothing
about the home market" These catch
phrases have had their day. They are
worn out and east aside. The Repub-
lican leaders are no longer arrogant
and insolent; they cannot longer defy
l..t, La. T..
Seem to yield without really yielding
| submit that the Democratic plat.
form accurately described the ,Repub.
lean position when II refers 10 the
belntcd promise made by the Repub.
lean leaders as "a tardy recognition Of
the righteousness of the Democratic
position on this question" The Demo.
cratic party In its platforms and
through its representatives In congress
has for years pointed out that the tar.
iff schedules are excessively high and
ought 10 be reduced. but the Republic
ans have until recently refused Ia ad
init that there was any necessity for
reduction They now confess through
their platform and through their prcsi.
dental candidate that the need for re.
vision IL So great as 10 justify the par.
~ In declaring ''unequiv' cally for n
revision of the tarlff. and the need Is
SO urgent that thr work Is 10 he under
taken al n special session Of congress
Immediately following the Inaugural
tion of the next president
High Tariff Corrupts Politics.
Are We not Justified IN saying that
1.-THE people cannot safely iHiruSt the
execution of this important work 10 u
party which Is So deeply obligated IN
the highly protected interests ~ Is the
Republican party" The fat frying"
process has become familiar 10 the
American people. Pressure has been
brought to bear upon the protected IN.
terests every four years. and Ia less
extent in the congressional campaigns
between presidential elections. TO com.
pei contributions To the campaign fund
in return for former favors aud in an.
ticipation OF favors yet to come. II II
difficult to overestimate the corrupting
influences introduced into the political
between the government aud the IN.
vored industries The literature circu.
lated In support of protective tariff
has Studiously cultivated the idea that
suffrage should be- employed to secure
pecuniary returns. and the appeal
made by the Republican leaders has
come to be more and more selfish
one.
The plan has been To keep the tax
payers quiet by keeping them IN the
dark as TO the operation of the law and
then To concentrate the votes and In
flnence of the tax eaters IN favor of u
continuation OF high tariff legislation.
II II tariff of 80 per cent was imposed
upon given article of merchandise Ii
was assumed that those engaged in the
production OF the article would con
tribute literally 10 keep up the tariff.
II was also assumed that the employ.
ees would vote with their employers 10
keep from having their wages reduced,
aud II was expected that the business
men of the town would also vote for
the tariff because of the business
brought TO the community by the pro-
tected industry. Those who are nc.
quainted with the tariff fight know 10
what IN extent the pecuniary argu-
nlent has been used. The recent Re
publican platform is bugle call TO
every beneficiary Of special privilege to
enlist again under the Republican ban.
ner. and when the election is over and
the Republican committee publishes
the list of contributors too late to
make the information valuable-it will
be found that the Republican party has
again so obligated itself 10 the protect.
ed interests Us TO be- unable to make n
revision In the interests of the con.
sumerS.
Republicans Refused to Act.
With president who toward the
close of his term admitted the neces
sity for tariff revision. with a two.
Al,it.lS mn inritv I'm thu senate aud nqnr.