Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-22


natural laws of trade, one who pro-
poses a protective tariff. takes upon
himself the burden of proof to show,
first, that a protective tariff is right
in principle; second. that it is wise
as public policy, and. third. that it is
necessary And. yet, what protection
list attempts TO present an argument
in support of any one of these prOpo-
sitions?
Is it right to tax all of the people
for the benefit Of a few? Where a
community has attempted 10 collect
taxes for the aid of an industry, even
| when the industry was to be located
| in this community. the highest court
| il. the land has declared such a tax
| to be larceny in the form of law. If
| a city government cannot rightfully
| tax all the people TO bring an industry
| into the city, where such benefits as
are conferred are more easily seen
and more universally enjoyed, who
will say that a farmer in the Missouri
valley can be rightfully taxed TO sup
port an industry in a distant state?
AS a matter of public policy, is it
1
should be compelled to carry upon
their backs industries which, accord
ing 10 the arguments made by their
Representatives. could not live with
out aid? Have We not seen this sys-
TEN introducing corruption into poll
tics. and is it not building business
upon an unsubstantial basis? Having
lsecured tariff from one party. the
beneficaries loudly declare that the
country will be ruined if any other
party obtains control of the govern
ment. Manufacturers have intimidat-
ed their employees and threatened
them with a reduction of wages I'M
less a party favorable to the system
twas continued in power. This is an
old device, and there are indications
that il is being resorted 10 again. The
New York Leather Betting company
has sent out a number of letters TO
companies with which it has business
dealings. asking them to post in their
factories a notice saying:
Believing that the election of Taft
and Sherman means safe and con-
sentative administration. the day fol-
1 lONlilS Tic tIttlIOH We Slldll Sldll tlIS
plant on full time and keep going
Here is direct attempt to influence
the election by a bribe. 1t is virtually
"a promise of wages if the republican
ticket is successful and an implied
threat in case of democratic success;
but the offer is so made that il gives
the employees no guaranty of its full
fillment. The same kind of promises
we're made in 1896. and yet for six
months after the election times were
worse than thew were before. There
were business failures and bank
lruptcies, and many institutions that
promised their employees steady work
and good wages, shut down or reduced
wages. If any factory posts up the
sign which the Leather Betting COM
pany is sending out, the employees
ought to get together and ask for
; guaranty as TO the amount of the
wages they are to receive and as to
, the length of time during which the
guaranty is TO extend. If the votes
are 10 be bought. the purchase price,
at least, should be made secure. If
the employees heritage-citizenship
is to be sold. he ought. at least, to be
sure of his mess of pottage.
But the whole system is vicious.
Business should not be built upon leg
islation: it should stand upon its own
merit and when it does stand upon
its own merit we shall not only have
purer politics. but We shall have less
fuctuation in business conditions and
a more equitable distribution of the
proceeds of toll.
/ cannot pass from this part of my
subject, without calling attention TO
the fact that Secretary Taft has al
lowed himself TO be drawn into the
use of an argument which the bene-
ficiaries of protection have been en-
ploying for generation. Speaking of
the gradual substitution of a revenue
u tariff for the protective system, he
says in his notification speech:
THE introduction in power of a
Iparty with this avowed purpose cannot
{ but halt the gradual recovery from our
recent financial depression and pro-
duce business disaster, compared with
which our recent panic and depression
: will seem small indeed"
, | Threat of a Panic.
q Here is threat of a panic il the
O republican party is not retained i'm
e lpower. This panic argument was
worked overtime in 1896, but am sur.
n lprised that republican refers to it in
a the present campaign.
q We have had three panics since the
4 Republican party was born: The panic
o lof 1873. the panic of 1893 and the
panic of 1907. The panic of 1873 came
after the republican party had been in
o complete control of the federal govern
# ment for ~ years, and II years be
O fore our party succeeded in securing
D. control of the executive branch of the
g government. The startling panic and
e depression of 1873 occurred in the
3 very midst of republican rule, just af
Le ter republican victory, and under /;
II. high tariff. Is it not strange that Sec