The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1908-07-17
SOUND TARIFF PRINCIPLES.
American People should COnnrm
Platform by Their Votes.

Platform by Their Votes.
One Of the best things In the Repub-
lican platform. rs plain rs a pike-staff
ard as honest MS Government coin, Is
tine tariff plank
The Republican party declares ~unequiv.
oca!ly for a revision of the tariff ny 1
| special session Of Congress Immediately
following the inauguration of the next
President. and commends the steps al
ready taken to this end In the work as
signed to the appropriate committees OF
Congress which are now investigating the
| operation and effect of existing schedules.
In all tariff legislation the trs.e prin.
cip!e of protection is hsst maintained By
the imposition Of such duties as will equal
the difference between the cost of pro-
dactioa Mt home and abroad. together
with q reasonable profit TO American in
dnstries.
We favor the establishment of maxi
mum and minimum rates TO be admins
tered BY tae President under limitations
fixed in the Jaw. the maximum 10 be
available 10 meet discri.niaa ;cas by for
eigu countries against American goods
entering their markets. and the minimum
10 represent tho normal measure of pro-
lection III home. the aim and purpose OF
the Republican policy being not only TO
preserve. without excessive duties. that
security against foreign competition to
which American manufactures. farmers
and producers are entitled. but also TO
maintain the high standard of living OF
the wage earners of this country, who are
the most direct beneficiaries of the Pro-
tective system.
Between the United States and the
Philippines we believe in a free inter-
change of products with such limitations
as To sugar and tobacco as will afford
adequate protection TO domestic interests.
Here is Il declaration that means
something. ana always the same some
thing to everybody. We shall have re-
vision. whether rates are so high that
they permit abuses in the matter Of ex-
tortionate prices by monopolies which
are immune from rivalry at home
through agreement and combination.
and from competition by foreigners
through their exclusion from the Amer
lean market under any and all cir
cumstances. o. whether rates are too
low to enable home industries to main
tain themselves against the attacks
the most ardent Protectionist who Is
sincere in his support of the American
Tariff System in its true lines cannot
object to provision for freeing the pub
lie from the clutches Of greed and ex-
tortion which are exercised under the
shelter of the tariff or of anything
else. The whole theory Of that system
is that il must benefit the people at
large--first by giving them work and
wages which otherwise would go TO for
eign labor. and. secondly, by building
up vigorous industries which, under
natural laws and conditions. will com
pete vigorously among themselves for
the trade of the home market, thus
assuring fair prices in the rivalry TO
gain and hold customers. Under this
tarif policy of the Republican party.
not only have the greatest industries
in the world been established. but prices
to consumers have fallen below the
levels which obtained before there was
such production by home mills and
factories.
But If there is no revision the Re
publican party does not propose my
thing that will sacrifice the employ
ment of American labor or the legiti-
mate profits Of American capital. No
language could be clea rer and stronger
than this: I'm all tariff legislation
the true principle OF protection is best
maintained by the imposition Of such
duties as will equal the difference be-
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad, together with a reasonable
profit to American industries"
Undoubtedly this is the conviction OF
the American people. They know what
wealth and blessings they have enjoyed
under a tariff which has enabled Amer.
leans to earn their livings-and better
liyings by far han n foreigner has
ever earned-by making for themselves
whatever they consume when 1t Is pos
sible for them to make it. They must
appreciate that the worst disaster
which could fall upon this country
would be for Il stream OF foreign com
merce to come flooding over our mar
ket. wiping out American industries
destroying the material wealth I'm the
factories and mills and the potential
wealth of the employment Of the Ameri,
can wage-earners. No war ever de-
vastated Il country or wrought the
havoc to a people that would be SUI.
fered in the United States if a com.
mercial invasion by foreigners should
b. allowed to exterminate our home
Industries and strip II ~wage-earnerA
Thf whole or my part Of such in.
sasion that could overwhelm our produc.
ing agencies would be absolutely pro-
hibited by the continued enforcement OF
the policy which Is reiterated In that
tariff plank.
This will never satisfy those who
have made the loudest noise over the
tariff revision, which always means