The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-28

The Republican doctrine of protection,
as definitely announced by the Repub-
hcan convention of this year and by
previous conventions is that a tariff
shall be imposed on all imported prod
ucts, whether OF the factory, farm, or
mine, sufficiently great 10 equal the
difference between the cost Of produc-
ton abroad and at home. and that this
difference should Of course. include the
/ difference between the higher wages
/ paid in this country and the wages
| paid abroad and embrace a reasonable
/ profit to the American producer
A system Of protection thus adopted
and put in force has led 10 the estab-
( iishment Of rate Of wages here that
/ has greatly enhanced the standard Of
/ living OF the labOring man. II IS the
! policy Of the Republican party perma-
| nentiy 20 continue that standard Of
living. In 1897 the Dingley tarin Dill
was passed, under which we have
! had, as already said, a period OF enor-
nous prosperity
Revision of Tariff.
The consequent material development
has greatly changed the conditions.
under which many articles described
/ by the schedules Of the tariff are now
! produced. The tariff in a number Of the
! schedules exceeds the difference be
tween the cost OF production Of such
| articles abroad and at home, including
| q reasonable profit 10 the American
/ producer. The excess over that differ
| ence serves no useful purpose, bur
! offers a temptation &c those who would
! mOuOpOliZe the production and the sale
| OF such articles IN this country, 10
/ profit by the excessive rate On the
| other hand, there are a few other sched-
| ulcs in which the tariff IS not sutn-
! GENTLY high 10 give the measure OF pro-
/ lection which they should receive Upon
/ Republican principles, and as 10 those
I faa .~Fe -L 10 cE.n A g
/ ion of the tariff undertaken upon this
/ principle, which is at the basis OF our
/ present business system, begun prompt
! " upon the incoming OF the new ad-
/ ministration, and considered at spe-
| Cial session with the preliminary IN
/ vestigatiOns already begun by the ap-
! prOpTtate committees OF the House ana
Z Senate. will make the disturbance OF
] business incident 10 such a change as
little as possible.
The Democrats party in its platform
has not had the courage Of Il previous
! convictions on the subject OF the tariff.
| denounced by IL in I5,4 as a system Of
| the robbery OF the many for the bene-
fit Of the few. but 1t does declare its
/ intention 10 change the tariff with 4
| view 10 reaching a revenue basis and
thus 10 depart from the protective sys-
tenn.
! The introduction INTO power Of a
I party with this avOwed purpose cannot
/ but halt the gradual recovery from our
/ recent financial depression and produce
business disaster compared with which
! our recent panic and depression VIII
seem small indeed.
| As the Republican platform says. the
I welfare Cf the farmer is vital TO that
OF the whole country one OF the
II strongest hopes OF returning prosperity
II e. based on the business which bis
crops are 10 AFFORD
He Is vitality interested IN the re
straining Of excessive and unculy cls-
eliminating railroad rates, in the en-
/ foruemcnt Of the pure food laws. in the
promotion Of scientific agriculture. and
IN increasing the comforts OF country
life, as by the extension Of free rural
/ delivery
The policies Of the present Admins
tration. which have most industrioCsiy
j promoted all these objects, cannot fail
20 commend themselves 10 his op-
. prevail and It is difficult 70 see how
with HIS intelligent appreciation Of the
threat TO business prosperity involved
IN Democratic success at the polls ne
can do otherwise than give his ful and
Hearty support 10 the continuation d
) the policies Of the present Adm listra-
tio1 under Republican auspices
The Labor Question.
We come now 20 the question OF labor
!, One important phase Of the policies Of
, the present Administration has been an
anxiety 20 secure FOR the wage-earner
70 az equality OF opportunity and such
. positive statutory protection as shall
: place him on a level in dealing with his
employer. The Republican party has
passed an employers liability act fox
= interstate railroads. and has established
1 an cight-hOur law for Government en-
[ oIoyes and on Government construction
The essence Of the reform effected
S by the former is the abolition OF
EnHH
- introduction OF the comparative neg
- llgence theory by which an en-
plOye injured in the service OF his
[ employer does not lose all his right %
E recover because Of slight negligence on
! Then there is the act providing fo1
- compensation for injury TO Government
Z employees, together with the various
Z statutes requiring safety appliances
, upon interstate commerce railroads Ioi
/ the protection of their employees, and
D limiting the hours OF their employment
: These are all instances OF the desire OF
' the Republican party 20 do justice te
4 the wage-earner-
: Doubtless a more comprehensive
measure for compensation of Govern
= rnent employees viii be adopted IN th'
? future; the principle in such cases has
- been recognized. and in the necessarily
n somewhat slow course OF leSislalloi
3 will be more fully embodied in definite
o The interests Of the employer and thu
q ! emnlOTe never QlLLeE except NlAGU ~
70 comes TO a division Of the joint pront o.
2 labor and capital into dividends anC
n wages. This must be a constant SOurc'
I Of periodical discussion between the EN-
ployer and the emDlOye, as, indeed. art
? the other terms CT the employment
Advantage of Union
: To give 70 employees their proper posi-
- ton in such a controversy, to enabl'
= them 10 maintain themselves agains
: employers having great capital, they
: may well unite, because in union thert
. is strength and without it each indi
1 viduaI Iaborer and employee would b
r helpless. The promotion of inGustria
= peace through the instrumentaIity o.
I the trade agreement is often one OF thu
s results OF such union when inteuigentI
= conducted.
> There IS a large body Of labOrers
I. however, skilled and unskilled, who ar,
: not organized into unions Their rights
Il before the law are exactly the same a!
: those of the union men, and are &c b'
c protected with the same care anC
. watchfulness-
{ In order TO induce their employer int
= a compliance with their request 70
: changed terms Of employment, work
men have the right to strike in a body
They have n right to use such persua
sion as they may, provided 1t does no
4 reach the point of duress, 10 lead thei