The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-08-27

sure of protection at 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 manu-
| facturers, farmers and producers are en-
| titled, but also to maintain the high
standard of living of the wage earners
| of this country, who are the most direct
| beneficiaries OF the protective system.
| Between the United States and the
| Philippines, we believe in a free inter
| change of products, with such limita-
| tions as to sugar and tobacco as will
| afford adequate protection to domestic
| interests
Secretary Taft refers to this subject
| briefly in his notification speech-only
| brietly-but as ] shall quote such pas
! sages from his speech as are pertinent
| to this discussion, it is not necessary
| to read his remarks in full
1t will be noticed that the Republican
party has abandoned the earlier argu-
ments advanced in support of high
| tariff. We hear no more of the Infant
| Industries that must be tenderly car
| ed 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 cast aside. The Republi-
| can leaders are no longer arrogant and
| insOlant; they cannot longer defy tarih
reform. Their plan now is to seem to
| yield without really yielding.
L SUBMIT tnat the Democratic PLATFORM
| accurately described the Republican po-
sition when it refers to "the belated
promise made by the Republican lead
ers as "a tardy recognition of the right
eOuSness of the Democratic position on
| this question:" The Democratic party
| in it's platforms and through it's repre-
sentatiyeS in Congress has for years
pointed out that the tariff schedules are
excessively high and ought to be re-
duCed, but the Republicans have, until
recently, refused to admit that there
was any necessity for reduction. They
now confess, through their platform and
through their presidential candidate,
| the need for revision is so great as to
justify the party in declaring "unequiv-
ocally for revision of the tariff and
the need is so urgent that the work is
to be undertaken at "a special sission
of congress Immediately following the
Inauguration of the next president"
The use of the word 'unequivocally' In
diCates that those who wrote the plat
form recognize that they are under sus-
picion. They want to distinguish this
promise from the unkept promises of the
past by adding as emphatic an adjective
as coulG be found in the dictionary. If
former Republican promises had been
conscientously fulfilled, it might not
have been necessary to thus strengthen
the promise made this year. The use
of the words Immediately after the in
auguratiOn" is evidence that the Repub-
liCan leaders are conscious that the pa
ttence of the public has been strained
pathetic to note the solicitude which
they now feel about doing a thing
which, but for wilful neglect, might
have been done at any time during tho
last ten years
Are we not justified in saying that
"the people cannot safely entrust the
execution of this important work to
party which is so deeply obligated to
the highly protected interests as is the
Republican party?" The fiat frying
process has become familiar to the Ann
erican people. Pressure has been
brought to bear upon the protected in
terests every four years-and to less
extent in the congressional campaigns
between presidential elections-to COM
pei contributions to the campaign fund
in return for former favors and in an
tiCipatiOn of favors yet to come. 1t is
difficult to overestimate the ccrTupting
influences introduced into the political
life of the nation by this partnership
between the government and the favor
ed industries The literature circulated
in support of a protective tariff has stu
diOusly cultivated the idea that suffrage
should be enjoyed to secure pecuniary
returns, and the appeal made by the
Republican leaders has come to be more
and more a selfish one. Every man en-
gagged in a protected industry has been
approached with the proposition that it
is dollars in his pocket to maintain the
system, while those who could not possi-
bly, trace any tangible benefits to them
selves have been beguied with the as
surance that it was all a matter of pub
lie spirit and that they ought to support
the system out of patriotic love of
country. If attention was called to the
fact that the farmer was taxed for the
benefit of the manufacturer, the triple
answer was that it would come back to
him indirectly that 1t did not amount to
much for each farmer anyhow; and that
a man was small minded who would
begrudge so insignificant a contribution
10 the nations prosperity. The plan has
been to keep the taxpayers quiet by
keeping them in the dark as to the oper-
alton of the law, and then to concen-
trate the votes and influence of the
tax-eaters in favor of continuation of
high tariff legislation. If a tariff of fifty
per cent was imposed upon given ar
tiCle of merchandise. it was assumed
that those engaged in the production of
Che article would contribute literally |
TO keep up the tariff. 1t was also as
sumed that the employees would vote |
with their employers to keep from hav-
ing their wages reduced, and it was ex- |
pected that the business men of the town |
would also vote for the tariff because |
of the business brought to the commun. |
ity by the protected industry. Those |
who are acquainted with the tariff fight |
know to what an extent the pecuniary |
argument has been used. The recent |
every beneficiary of special privilege to |
enlist again under the Republican ban |
ner, and when the election is over and |
the Republican committee publishes /
make the information valuable-it will !
be found that the Republican party has |
again so obligated itself to the protect |
ed interests as to be unable to make a |
revision in the interests of the consum-
ers.
With a President who, toward the |
close of his term, admitted the neces- |
sity for tariff revision, with a two |
thirds majority in the Senate and nearly |
sixty majority in the House, the Re- |
publican party has refused to permit |
any revision whatever. Mr. Williams. |
the leader of the minority in the House, |
a bill providing for a reduc- |
tiOn of the tariff to 100 per cent, Wher- |
ever it is now more than 100 per cent |
1t would look like the Republican party |
might have taken this step toward tar |
iff revision had 1t been deeply in earn |
est; but no. the bill was not even re- |
ported from the committee Whenever |
was called to an indefensible /
could not afford to open the subject for |
debate just before a campaign, but |
there is no force in this objection be-
cause the House rules are so framed |
that the majority can cut off debate, |
prevent amendment and silence opposi- !
ton.
The Republican platform suggests that
there should be a maximum tariff and a |
the maximum to be used in |
nary cases This Is merely adding de- I
lusion to prOcrastination and uncertain
ty. We have prominent Republican |
Senator Dolliver and Senator |
Hanna, to prove that In the present |
law the rates were knowingly made |
higher. than necessary with the under |
standing that reductions would be