Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-10-16
Mr.. TAFT AND REVISION
OF THE TARIFF
Declares American Wagc-Earners
Should Not be Compelled to Com
pete With Free Trade Labor.

In the course of his speech in Sioux
Clty September 20 Mr. Taft defined
MS attitude on the question of tariff
revision with characteristic frank
ness. He said:
My own impression. without be-
4 ing familiar with the schedules rs an
expert, is that in most cases the opera-
| ton of the protective tariff has been
normal, the cost of production has
] been reduced, and therefore the re-
vision with respect to those schedules /
should be downward. There are a
few, pottery is one. in which no such /
change has taken place. Indeed the |
change in that case has been the other
way and in that respect probably the
tariff ought to be raised"
In that utterance Mr. Taft exDlains
the difference between the tariff mol
icies of the opposing parties SO clear
~ that no intelligent voter can mis-
understand 1t. Mr.. Taft and the Re {
publican party recognize that the
tarin should be revised, and are
pledged to call an extra session of
congress to undertake the work i'm {
mediately after the Inauguration of !
the next President They insist how J.
ever, that the revision shall be made i
along lines that will maintain the T.
protective principle instead of de n
itroying it; that the schedules shall
'e so adjusted as to guard American q
abor against the unrestricted com II
letition of the free trade labor of a.
europe, and that there shall be no re
eglslation calculated to force a lower OF
1g Of the American standard of uv la
lg. In word, Mr.. Taft favors tariff nj
aYision in the interest of tariff pro- pi
sction.
Mr.. Bryan, on the other hand is W,
legged to tariff revision in the in pr
rest of free trade. He has onenlv HI
eclared for tariff for revenue onIv. on
Id that means the absolute descruc- wi
on of the protective principle He int
lids that the American wage-earner ca
entitled to no protection from tbe
mpetition of the cheap labor of free SCI
ade countries, but that wages and be
e manner of living in the United est
ates should be equalized with those laV
European wOrkmen. wa
Mr.. Bryan's position is entirely con- ful
tent with his record. 1t is in nor no
I accord with his attitude in Con ira
PISS IN 1894 when he helped to pre- the
re the Wilson-GOrman tariff act his
lch Democratic President de- wa
lnced as a creature of perfidv and tud
nonor- That measure struck ruin has
American industry and labor II
sed hundreds of mills and fac I
les, forced tens of thousands of
se-earners into idleness, caused a r
nous decline in the prices of ali Jud
PIE commodities and created a de- the
IN the Treasury which comDelled the
Government to sell bonds for first
ley to meet its Dunning EXPENSES pubi
Bryan's tariff policy, as embodied lion
ia. wIcRed measure, brought upon Depi
SIIcan industry and American Hill
hllsmen the most dreadful hard and
IS they have ever suffered in time Pou,
peace. Under its baleful opera- dav
nope gave way to despair, want Ii
the place of plenty and prosper CoIu
was succeeded by bankruptcv desir
history of the three years covered song
ne Wilson-GOrman-Bryan act is tame
ten IN the single word Ruin. ton I
le tarln issue is immediately in mit I
ed in the present campaign and il Atwa
be accurately stated as follows. Atwa
Republicanism and tariff re- lafta,
Dased on protection, versus vain
n, Democracy and tariff revision of All
Z on free trade. Mr.. Taft and were
Bryan have both declared them was h
S beyond all doubt or question.
neither seeks to conceal his All
e. The case is fully before tho = d"
: the ana tney VIII vote upon it 4 SCI
thelr eyes wide open. Shall It +
election or free trade? =
A
Bryan says he notices that the ( thar