Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-09-24

stimulated. but the natural result Is
soon felt in an over supply Tor the
home market, and the manufacturer
seeks TO sell his surplus abroad. Here
he finds he must face retaliatory ou-
ties and an unfriendly market. tor
exchange is the law OF international
commerce, and no people Will long
buy from those 10 whom they cam
not sell. So with a limited market
unregulated by foreign competition,
the manufacturer meets the problem
by a combination that limits produc-
ton and fixes price at a point 1ust
below the cost of the foreign article
with the tariff added. Thus the pro-
tective tariff naturally and inevitably
brings forth the trust, and the folly
OF a party pretending TO oppose the
trusts and yet advocating a high pro-
sective tariff must be anoarent 10
every thinking man.
REPUBLICAN PARTY's ADMISSION.
This year the Republican party, re-
eognizing the growing sentiment over
the country demanding a reduction IN
tariff schedules, incorporated in its
platform a plank intended to deceive
the people into believing that it pro-
poses a reduction Of tariff duties Re-
publican promises OF tax reduction
are moi new, but Republican .psr-
Torrance along that line would be a
novelty to American history.
In 1868 the Republican platform
demanded a reduction OF taxes, and at
various times since then, when
pressed by public sentiment, they
! have made platform pledges of that
character. But whenever a Republi-
can Congress touches a tariff bill
they always raise the tax. This year,
fortunately for the people, that they
may understand fully what is meant
by this Republican promise of re-
vision, the platform lays down the
rule by which the tariff is to be re-
vised. First, it must be high enough
to cover the difference between labor
cost at home and abroad. This is the
old Republican campaign cry, and
this the limit heretofore demanded
in tariff taxation. But nov they have
added that the tariff must, in addition
to covering the difference in labor
cost, be high enough to guarantee a
profit to the American manufacturer.
To prove that these words are not
mere s~urplusage, and that they have
a meaning, it is only necessary to
consider the conduct Of the Republic
car party in convention at Chicago.
Before the platform committee a reso-
luton was offered demanding a tariff
merely equal TO the difference be-
tween the cost OF production at home
and abroad, and it was defeated by a
vote of 81 to 1. II was again offered
as a minority resolution in the con-
vention, and defeated by a vote Of os2
to So, So here is a distinct and posi-
tive change in Republican policies,
and an absolute demand that the re-
vision OF the tariff shall include a
promise Of profit TO the manufacturer
never before included in a party plat
form. In the light OF this pronounce
ment OF the party, we can better I'M
derstand Mr.. Taft's suggestion, that
it must be remembered that revision
means a raising where taxes are toe
low, as well as a lowering where the
taxes are too high, and we may well
believe that should the Republican
party be successful in this campaign
this platform will be construed tc
mean that present schedules are toe
low, and the readjustment OF them
viii be upward instead OF downward
NOT FAIR TO MERCHANT AND PAR
MER.
To what other industry or bushes.
does the government guarantee
profit? The merchant must purchase
his stock of goods and take tht
chance OF a falling market or a lacl
OF trade. The farmer must plant hi.
crop and bestow upon it unremit.ins
toll, and take all the chances of On.
favorable seasons, of a constantly
I changing price, and Of open compe
tition in the markets OF the world
! In every line of industry the either
, must run the risk himself, but thu
Republican party now proposes tn,
government shall guarantee the in
vestment of the manufacturer, anS
out Of the pockets OF other citizen.
shall come the money to make goot
4 his profit.
The time has come when, as recog
1 nized by President Mckinley, on
: manufacturing industries have reache,
beyond the limits OF the Unite,
: States, and the needs of our peopl
/ are not more taxes, but more mar
D kets.
1t would have been we'll for til,
: country had his party needed the wis.
r words spoken by him as he stood OF
: the brink of the grave at Buffalo, an,
S looked with prophetic vision into tn
: future:
{ Our capacity to produce" he said
+ has developed so enormously an
our products have so multiplied tina
!. the problem of more markets require
d our urgent and immediate attention.
... "A system which provide
n a mutual exchange OF commodities !
manifestly essential to the continue
healthful growth OF our export trade
We must not repose in fancied SC
curity that we can forever sell every
thing and buy little or nothing. i
such a thing were possible, it woul
not be best for us or for those wit
e whom we deal. We should take fror
e our customers such of their product
as we can use without harm to on
industries and labor"
e OPEN MARKETS DEMANDED.
/. The enormous balances of trade G
I, which our Republican friends so fire.
. QueutlV boast are constituted ;p farn