Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1908-09-24

projected manufacturer by tEiS pOucy,
manufacturers are at first stimulated,
but the natural result is soon felt in an
over supply for the home market, and
the manufacturer seeks to sell his sur
plus abroad. Here he finds he must
face retaliatory duties and an unfriend-
ly market, for exchange is the law OF
international commerce, and no people
will long buy from those to whom they
cannot sell. So with limited market
unregulated by foreign competition, the
manufacturer meets the problem by a
combination that limits production and
fixes price at a point just below the
cost of the foreign article with the
tariff added. Thus the protective tariff
naturally and inevitably brings forth
the trust, and the folly of a party pre-
tending to oppose the trusts and yet ad-
vocating a high protective tariff must
be apparent to every thinking man.
REPUBLICAN PARTY'S ADMISSION.
This year the Republican party, re-
cognizing the growing sentiment over
the country demanding a reduction in
tariff schedules, incorporated in its plat
form a plank intended to deceive the
people into believing that it proposes a
reduction of tariff duties. Republican
promises of tax reduction are not new,
but Republican performance along that
line would be novelty to American
history,
+ In 1868 the Republican platform de
manded reduction of taxes, and at
various times since then, when pressed
by public sentiment, they have made
platform pledges of that character. But
whenever Republican Congress
touches tariff bill they always raise
the tax. This year, fortunately for the
people, that they may understand fully
what is meant by this Republican prom
Use of revision, the platform lays down
! the rule by which the tariff is to be re-
vised. First, it must be high enough to
cover the difference between labor cost
at home and abroad. This is the old
Republican campaign cry, and this the
limit heretofore demanded in tariff tax
alton. But now they have added that
the tariff must, in addition to covering
the difference in labor cost, be high
enough to guarantee a profit to the
American manufacturer. To prove that
these words are not mere surplusage,
and that they have meaning, it IS only
necessary to consider the conduct Of the
Republican party in convention at Chi
cago. Before the platform committee a
resolution was offered demanding a
tariff merely equal to the difference be-
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad, and it was defeated by a
vote of. 81 to I. 1t was again offered as
a minority resolution in the convention,
and defeated by a vote of o52 to
58. So here is a distinct and positive
change in Republican policies, and an
absolute demand that the revision OF
the tariff shall include promise OF
profit to the manufacturer never be-
fore included in a party platform. In
the light of this announcement OF
the party, we can better understand Mr..
Taft's suggestion, that it must be re-
membered that revision means a rails
ing where taxes are too low, as well
as a lowering where the taxes are too
high, and we may well believe that
should the Republican party be success
full in tim campaign, this platform will
be construed to mean that present
schedules are too low, and the read
justment of them viii be upward in
stead of downward.
NOT PAIE TO MERCHANT AND FAR
MRR.
To what other industry or business
does. the government guarantee profit
The merchant must purchase his stock
of goods and take the chance of fall
ing market or a lack of trade. The
farmer must plant his crop and bestow
upon it unremitting toll, and take all
the chances of unfavorable seasons, OF
constantly changing price, and of
open competition in the markets of the
world. In every line of industry the
citizen must run the risk himself, but the
Republican party now proposes the gov
eminent shall guarantee the investment
of the manufacturer, and out of the
pockets of other citizens shall come the
money to make good his profit.
The time has come when, as recog-
nized by President Mckinley our
manufacturing industries have reached
beyond the limits of the United States
and the needs of our people are moi
more taxes, but more markets.
It would have been well for the
country had his party needed the wise
words spoken by him as he stood on
the brink of the grave at Buffalo, and
looked with prophetic vision into the
future:
"Our capacity to produce" he said
"has developed so enormously and
our products have so multiplied that
the problem of more markets requires
our urgent and immediate attention
"A system which provide:
a mutual exchange of commodities is
manifestly essential to the continued
healthful growth of our export trade
We. must not repose in fancied Sc.
curity that we can forever sell every.
thing and buy little or nothing. II
such thing we're possible, it would
not DE best for us or for those with
whom we deal. We should take from
our customers such of their product!
as we can use without harm to oui
industries and labor" go.
OPEN MARKETS DEMANDED.
The enormous balances of trade o.
which our Republican friends so fire
Il I'D -