The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-09-26


policy, manufacturers are at FIRST
stimulated, but the natural result is
500 felt in an yer supply for the
home market, and the manufacturer
seeks to sell his surplus abroad. Here
he finds he must face retaliatory du-
ties and an unfriendly market, for
exchange is the law of international
commerce, and no people will long
buy from those to whom they can
not sell. So with a limited market
unregulated by foreign competition,
the manufacturer meets the problem
by a combination that limits produe-
ton and fixes price at a point just
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-
tectlve tariff must be anoarent to
every thinking man.
REPUBLICAN, PARrY's ADMISSION.
This year the Republican party, re-
cognizing 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 not new, but Republican per-
torrance along hat 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-
vlsed. 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 now 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.
10 prove that these words are not
mere Siirhli%@5S, anu unat they have
a meaning, It is only necessary to
consider the conduct of the Republi-
can 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. 1t 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 nm
derstand Mr.. Taft's suggestion. that
1t must be remembered that revision
means a raising where taxes are too
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 ~
mean that present schedules are too
low and the readjustment of them
VIII be upward instead of downward.
NOT FAIR TO MERCHANT AND PAR.
MER.
10 what other industry or business
does the government guarantee a
proht! The merchant must purchase
his stock of goods and take the
chance of a falling market or a lack
OF trade. The farmer must plant his
crop and bestow upoa it unremittinv
toll, and take all the chances Of un-
favorable seasons, of a constantly
changing price, and of open compe-
tition in the markets Of the world
In every line of industry the citizen
must run the risk himself, but the
Republican party now proposes the
government shall guarantee the in
vestment of the manufacturer. and
out of the pockets of other citizens
shall come the money to make good
his profit.
The time has come when, as recog-
nized by President Mckinley, our
manufacturing industries have reached
beyond the limits of the United
States, and the needs of Il people
are not more taxes, but more mar
kets.
1t would have been we'll for the
country had his party Needed the wise
words spoken by him as he stood on
the brink of the grave at Buffalo, and
looked with prophetic vision into the
future:
Our capacity to produce" he said.
has developed so enormously and
our products have so multiplied that
the problem of more markets requires
our urgent and immediate attention. ,
"a system which provides
a mutual exchange of commodities is
manifestly essential to the continued
.healthful growth of our export trade.
We must moi repose in fancied Sc
curity that we can forever sell eyerv-
thing and buy little or nothing If
such a thing were possible. il would
not be best for us or for those with
whom we deal We should take from
our customers such of their products
as we can use. Without harm to our