Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-13
WHO GAN
DEFEND It?
ANOTHER REPUBLICAN PAPER
ATTACKS IT'S PARTY's TARIFF
PLANK.

publican paper, made the same mis-
take that -he Omaha Bee has made.
In it's issue OF Monday, September
IA. the Oregonian printed the fol-
lowing editorial:
THE TARIFF.
In his daily speeches Mr.. Bryan
tells us this:
In all tariff legislation the true
principle is best maintained by .he
imposition OF SUCH duties as will
equal the difference between the
cost of production at home and
abroad. together with reasonable
profit to American industries"
This means just nothing. Every
VIII accept the statement. Who is
to decide what is reasonable profit?
Who is 20 decide what may be the
fair difference between wages at
home and abroad? The problem
presents an infinite number and va
riety of factors, as well as of diff
ferences to be adjusted. Men never
will agree upon them. They will
agree upon the loose statement. as
presented by Mr.. Bryan: but never
upon the details OF working Il out.
They can't 1t is not a problem
OF mathematics. The human spirit
controls It all. Agree on the Bryan
statement, yet you are no nearer
The formula offers no sure values
or definite quantities. For in the
same laws. for equalization of the
difference between the cost of pro-
duction at home and abroad. and of
fairprofit for capital, some men will
succeed and Others will fail. Many
insist that the conditions required
by the orator exist now. And 1t Is
certain that under any tariff or un-
der none, some will succeed and
some will fail; and those who sue
coed and capture and hold the bus
mess will be called monopolists,
while those who fail will be vic
Tins of something or other. but nev-
er OF their own inesficiency or other
faults.
The only way to give all men an
equal show, or a perfectly fair show
is to abolish all tariffs. to cut off
all duties. give nobody protection,
whether laborer or capitalist. Then
the best talents, the highest powers.
the greatest industry and skill will
do the business. Bryal's sugges-
ton is no real departure from the
policy OF the protectionists. 1t is,
as he defines it. a protectionist poi-
icy, not different in principle from
that OF Cannon, Payne aad Dalzell,
but keeping open a way to the split
ting of hairs on schedules on wages
in this industry and that on reason
able or unreasonable profits. Short
OF absolute free trade, so that the
tariff laws may held nobody, there
is no principle on which the decis-
ION may be MADE.
Should Bryan be elected president
and congress with him, and an
attempt be made to adjust a tariff
for imposition o. such duties as
will equal the difference between
the cost of production at home and
abroad together with reasonable
profit to American industries" we
s-.ould discover at once the charla-
ing. On this formula there could
be no possible agreement. Nor
would any agreement, If made, have
any value whatever. The only prin-
ciple of tariff is tariff for revenue
But that will not be adopted by
either party. And tariff for revenue
only is virtual free trade Bryan
( never SPEAKS for tariff for revenue
only. He always has vague notions
OF "protection'-som kind or de-
gree OF protection-in his mind;
and so has his party. Consequently
IL they come into power again shey
will simply shift the incidence OF
duties, put "the other fellow" O.
the free list as they did when last
in power. and protect" the special
interests that have the pull on them
as friends. Never will there be any
genuine reform OF the tariff upon
the principle stated above by Can
didate Bryan
AS soon as he had read the Ore
gonian's editorial, Mr. G. II. Thon-
as. chairman OF the Democratic
county committee at Portland wrote
the Oregonian the following letter:
Portland. ore. Sept IA. 1908.
To the Editor: Your browning
offense I'm this campaign appeared
this morning n your editorial head
ed "The Tariff" As a basis for
that editorial you took the follow
ing plank from the Republican ma
tional platform Of this year, but
you attributed the language to Mr..
Bryan:
"In all tariff legislation the true
principle Is best maintained by the
imposition Of such duties as will
equal the difference between the cost
OF production at home and abroad