Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-09-24


protected manufacturer. BY this policy
manufacturers are at first stimulated,
but the natural result Is soon felt In an
over supply for the home market, and
the manufacturer seeks 10 sell his sur
plus abroad. Here he finds he must
face retalintory duties and an unfriend-
" 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
unreguIated 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 adj
vocating a high protective tariff mutt
be apparent TO every thinking man.
REPUBLICAN, PARTY's ADMISSION.
This year the Republican party, re-
eognizing 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 a novelty to American
history
In 1868 the Republican platform de-
manded a 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 a 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 q
tariff merely equal to the difference be-
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad, and It was defeated by q
vote of "a to I. II was again offered as
a minority resolution In the convention
and defeated by a vote of o52 to
So. So here is a distinct and positive
change in Republican policies, and ar
absolute demand that the revision OF
the tariff shall include a promise OF
profit to the manufacturer never be
fore included in a party platform. II
the light of this pronoupcement OF
the party, we can better understand Mr.
Tafts suggestion, that Il must be re
membered that revision means a rails
ing where taxes are too low, as wei
as n lowering where the taxes are toe
high, and we may well believe tina
should the Republican party be success
full in this campaign, this platform viii
be construed to mean that presen
schedules are too low, and the read
justment of them will be upward in
stead of downward.
NOT RAIR TO MERCHANT AND PAR
MRR.
To what other industry or bushes
/ does the government guarantee a profit
I The merchant must purchase his stocl
/ of goods and take the chance of a fall
/ ing market or a lack of trade. TIL
/ farmer must plant his crop and bestoy
upon IL unremitting toll, and take al
/ the chances of unfavorable seasons, o
a constantly changing price, and o
open competition in the markets of tn
world. In every line of industry tn
citizen must run the risk himself, but IN
Republican party now proposes the gov
ernment shall guarantee the investment
of the manufacturer, and out of IN
pockets of other citizens shall come III
money to make good his profit
The time has come when, as recoG
nized by President Mckinley, on
manufacturing industries have reache
beyond the limits of the United States
and the needs of our people are nc
more taxes, but more markets.
II would have been well for III
country had his party needed the wis
words spoken by him as he stood o
the brink OF the grave az Buffalo, an
looked with prophetic vision into III
future: +.
"Our capacity TO produce" he SAT-
has developed so enormously an
our products have so multiplied tn;
the problem of more markets require
our urgent and immediate attention
"A system which provid.
mutual exchange Of commodities
manifestly essential to the continue
healthful growth of our export trad
We must not repose in fancied 81
curity that we can forever sell ever,
thing and buy little or nothing.
such thing were possible, Il wou
no be best for as or for those Wi
whom we deal We should take fro
our customers such Of their produc
as we can use without harm to Of
industries and labor" 49,.