The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-22

the republican convention of 1892, but before the republican candidate wrote his letter of acceptance He could not ignore the strike, for it presented an object lesson which even high-tarft republican could not fail to see. So MT. Harrison. the candidate, referring to the strike, said:
 ]" I regret that all employers of labor are not just and considerate and that capital sometimes takes too large a share of the profitsr Too large a share of the profits? Yes; more than that. The protected manufacturers have se- cured. in many cases tariff of more than twice the percentage paid to work men in wages. The net profits of the steel trust last year were just about equal to the entire amount paid in wages. and the wages constituted less than 25 per cent of the total value of the prod uet. According to this statement each working man employed by the steel trust earned, on an average. not only the amount paid to him, but 100 per cent profit besides for his employer And, may add, while these beneficiaries of protection have been pretending to make the tariff laws for the direct benefit of the employees, these same employees have as a rule, been kept close to the hun ger line, while many of the employers have become the possessors of the swollen fortunes which now menace the nations morals as well as it's business.
 Tariff Graft.
 And yet the republican party was not willing that a single item on the steel schedule should be touched, and the re- publican campaign committee will not dare to publish before the election, the contributions that have been made or will be made to the republican campaign fund by the men most largely interested in the steel trust.
 Let me show you how the tariff oper- ates. l have here a statement made by MT. H. E. Miles, chairman of the tariff committee of the National Association, of Manufacturers and head of the Agrl- cultural Implement trust. The statement appears in the American Industries of November 15, 1907, a paper which Is now supporting the republican ticket and making special fight against the labor plank of the democratic platform. Here is what MT. Miles says:
 I have made money every year out of the tariff graft. Not much, but still litt1e
 The tariff barons raised their price $50,000 to me. I made a charge against the jobber of s60,000 and I know that he charged more than s7O,00O for the s60, GOO he paid me. Before reaching the con sumer the $500O0 charge became about S100000 to be paid by the agricultural consumer
 The manufacturer who would pros- per must make a double profit, one by the shrewd management of his business and another by still shrewder manlpula- tion in Washington.
 We have no great difficulty in shop ping abroad for we could get as high prices as at home. We are so held up, however, by our supply people that to most of us there is very scant profit in foreign business.
 When Congress gave us 45 per cent. we needing only 20 per cent, they gave us a congressional permit, if not an in- vitation, to consolidate, form one great trust and advance our prices 25 per cent, being the difference between the 20 per cent needed and the 45 per cent given
 How To Cut Tariff.
 "The democratic platform not only de- mands a reduction of the tariff, but 1t plainly outlines the course to be pur- sued in securing the reduction. It begins by proposing that articles which come into competition with articles controlled by trust be placed on the free list. What better place to begin? Years ago Mir. Havermeyer, the head of the Sugar trust, said that the tariff was the mother of trusts-and her children are many. Secretary Taft, in his notification speech, says that an excessive tariff serves no useful purpose but offers a temptation to those who would monopolze the pro- duction and the sale of such articles in this country, to profit by the excessive rate
 Now suppose the manufacturers, who have been favored by legislation, do con- spire against the public and enter into monopoly. What penalty do the re- publlcans suggest? None whatever These men are to be consulted about proposed changes and if the next republican tariff is made like the former republican tar iffs nothing will be done without the unanimous consent of the beneficiaries.
 What would be the effect of the rem edy proposed by the democratic platform? Simply this:-A law goes into effect at some fixed date in the future, and If the democrats pass a law putting upon the free list articles coming into competition with those controlled by a trust, the trust will have until that date to dis solve. If the trust considers the law too drastic, it can avoid it by giving up it's monopoly.
 Secretary Taft calls this remedy 'uttely destructive and in his anxiety u prevent IL ONeTIOOkS the fact that the democratic party has other remedies for the trusts. If we can succeed in dissolving existing trusts, and in pre- venting the organization of new ones. there will be no trusts against which to use the remedy of which he conf- plains. There is now a law against trusts, but it has not been sufficiently enforced to prevent trusts. The demo- crats demand it's enforcement; if it's enforcement rids the country of trusts. then this policy which MT. Taft so much fears will become perfectly harm less. If the democrats secure control of both the House and the Senate, they are pledged to legislation which will make private monopoly impossible. If the republicans retain control of part of the legislative machinery of the gov ernment and refuse to join in the effort to make a private monopoly impossible, they are not in a position to complain of tariff legislation aimed at trusts. If they refuse to assist us in exterminat- ing the principle of private monopoly, they cannot well object to legislation necessary to protect the people from trust extortion.
 Wood Pulp Tariff.
 MT. Taft did not refer to the plat Aoih ueHlahu that Woou pup, print pa per, lumber. timber and logs be placed upon the free list Why? Because the President vainly besought Congress to | enact a law embodying part of this de- | mand. It is absurd to complain of the exhaustion of our forests while we en- courage their destruction by traiff on the products of foreign forests But such legislation becomes not only a folly but crime when 1t is rememb ere. 1 that handful of men monopolize the