Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1908-09-03
Necessity OF TarlH Revision.

un HfSU DeCaliIe % ilduloiilti iS
ure; it was in this cause that he
compelled the notice OF serious,
intelligent men; in this cause be-"
came a leader OF the Democratic
party.
He attacks the principles ofpro
tective duties where it is most
weak, ~ That its benedclaries
are u limited few; (2) That its
advantage to the laboring man
is deceptive and does not really
exist; (3) That to the aSricultu'
ralist and the vast body OF con
sumers it is oppressive; (4) That
it leads to corruption and bar
gains between government anu
protected interests.
Particularly forcible is Mr.. Bry
an in laying bare this last and
progressively vicious consequenc
of high protection, He shows the
direct connection, the hardly con
cealed money partnership, be-
tween the Republican party and
the manufacturers; the large con
tributions paid by one in return
for past favors to come by the
other. While the rest OF the coun-
try has unfortunately forgotten
it, the astute men at the head OF
the Republican party have jeal-
ously followed the advice OF Eos
ter's famous fry the fat letter
to Stanley M. Quay.
Under the refine thus estab-
lished, the manufacturers write
the tariff schedules and dictate
to Congress what tax shall be
levied on the consumer.
"The method of procedure IL
simple. 1t is q case OF confidence.
The voters have confidence in Re-
publican leaders; have confidence
in q Republican Congress; a Re.
publican Congress has confidence
in the Ways and Means Commit
tee; the Ways ald Means Com
mitteee has confidence in t h c
men who represent the trusts,
and the trusts write the tariff
law, and thus secure TO them
selves The right to levy tribute to
the public. p"
Cen such a partnership be dis
solved asks Mr. Bryan, Is the
Republican party willing, or ii
willing, ls ii able, to give the
measure OF relief so obviously
needed by the country? Its last
history, its present membership,
its present affiliations, forbid the
hope that its delayed promise OF
reform will be carried out, eX-
Icept as OF old, in the interest OF
the lusty infant industries. lie
is an optihnist indeed who q n
see any expectation OF genuine
reform in the hands OF Joseph G..
Cannon, Senator Aldrich O n d
Messrs. Payne, Dalzell and Sher-
man.
Mr.. Bryan enforces these cardi-
nal truths: That the protective
system is not right in principle;
that it is not wise; that it is not
necessary But the change to a
revenue basis should be gradual
"The Democratic plan does not
contemplate an IN M G d | d t
change from one system to an
other; it expressly declares that
the change shall be gtafuaI. We
believe that the experience the
people have had with protection
tor protectors sake has led
them to favor a restoration o.
the tariff by gradual steps TO a
reyenne basis" +"
In awakening the American
people to the necessity OF tatif
reform; in demonstrating the in
equalities OF its burdens; in ma
king plain to them The fallacy o
the arguments that support it
! Mr.. Bryan can do a great ser
vice. He has the equipment az
well as the influence to perform
it effectuallly. His own closing
words should give bin both gui
dance and hope: