The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-03-20
THEORY ALL WRONG
PUBLICAN IDEAS BASED ON
PALACES.
Excessive Tariff Rates Have Simply
Resulted IN the Building Up OF
Enormous Fortunes for the
Comparative Few.

The Republican theory OF trade
both domestic and foreign IS based
on fallacies They believe that IL our
manufacturers are protected by tariff
rates high enough 70 prevent or re-
tard importaiions from foreign coun-
tries. the home market will con-
sumo all our factories can produce.
For some little time this theory
seemed to work TO their satisfaction.
bui the manufacturers discovered that
the high prices produced by this lack
OF foreign competition also had the
effect OF producing more manufacture
crs al home 10 take advantage OF the
large profits This increased compe-
tition between manufacturers led %
the formation Of trusts and combines;
so that high tarifr became the
mother Of trusts" These trusts
combined or purchased as many OF
the establishments in each line OF
business as could be- induced TO sell
or participate. and at once increased
prices 10 the point just below where
foreign competitors could export their
products 10 compete with the prod
ucts OF the trusts So the price Of
trust and tariff protected products was
increased both by the limitation OF com
petition al home and by the prohibi-
tion OF competition from abroad
Hence We have had the rise in
prices since the present tariff Law was
in operation The trusts and com
bines, however. finding their profits
SO large. were induced TO manufacture
more than the American people could
consume at the high prices they
charged, SO they began 10 look for for
eign markets abroad But high prices
had naturally produced increased cost
OF manufacture and 10 ind customers
abroad they were compelled 10 sell
there cheaper than 10 our own people.
For some time the Republicans do
MED that American goods were sold
cheaper abroad than here. but the
Democrats produced evidence that
proved il was being done. Then the
Republicans changed their ground and
declared that the tariff protected trusts
WE AA4flf4e nAAAfNAA4H SUNNI va AAANAA
shopworn and out-of-style products on
the foreigners at bargain prices Again
the Democrats produced the evidence.
ia their campaign book Of 1902. that
hundreds Of articles. exactly the same
as those sold here. were being offered
and sold by exporters for large dis
counts from the price in this coun-
try.
The trusts selling abroad cseaper
than at home very naturally led 10 re
prisals by foreign governments. and
nearly every country but England has
increased its tariff rates 10 prevent
our trusts from competing with their
manufacturers Notably. Russia.
| Germany and France have enacted pro
hibitive tariffs and the conservative
/ parry in England was led 10 make the
increase OF the tariff an issue, but the
people of England. when the election
came around. stuck 10 the tariff for
| revenue. under which England has
| prospered and become the greatest
manufacturing nation.
The tariff and trust era in this
country has produced extravaganza
and built up enormous fortunes. by
taxing the many for the benefit OF the
few and although it has thus pro
duced prosperity for the few. il has
also helped TO cause a panic that has
shaken the foundations OF the finan-
cial and business affairs OF the coun-
try.
The Republicans now face demand
for tariff reform in their own ranks
from the manufacturers who are not
in trusts or combines who find that
the steel trust. the coal trust. the pa
per trust. the leather trust and other
trusts have so increased prices OF
the partly manufactured articles they
produce. that those who use such in
their business. like the manufacturers
Of steel into implements and the fac
tories that use coal. and the newspa-
per publishers and shoe manufactur-
ers. are combining for tariff reform.
The Republican program of stand
ing pat is therefore in such danger
OF defeat that there is a panic in the
ranks Of the protectionists.