The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-10
Tariff Reform.
BY LEO,

Taft declares that if he be elect
ed president he will call Con
gress together in extra session to
readjust the tariff. and Bryan
says that if he shall be the lucky
man he will also do the same.
But the phrase, tariff reform,
does not mean the same as used
by the two parties. The two can
didates explain what is meant by
each one.
If Col. Bryan be elected he will
endeavor to change the Protec-
tive tariff of the Republicans in
to the nearest possible to a Free
Trade tariff-a tariff for revenue
only. That is his ideal. He does
not hope to be able to change it
all at once, but gradually, little
by little, like the man who cut off
his dogs tail an inch at a cut,
thinking it cruel to take it all off
at one stroke Of the knife.
Judge Taft's readjustment is
to be made on Protection lines.
He, too, wants a change, but a
change that will simply correct
some features of the system, but
still retaining the Protective
principle.
Since 1861 this country has
been under the Protective sys-
tenn, the main reliance for reve-
nue. being a tariff on imports at
our several ports of entry. And
certainly under this scheme the
revenue has been ample and the
country's prosperity boundless.
The last twelve years, including
the administrations of VIM. Nc
Klnley and Theodore Roosevelt,
have been characterized by phe-
nomenal prosperity in all parts
of the country, greater than at
any previous period since the in
auguration of Washington.
Last week we stated that the
administration of the govern
ment was for sixty years in Dem
ocratic hands. Take any twelve
years of the sixty under Demo-
cratic control, and compare with
the twelve years from 1896 to
1908 and see the difference in
prosperity. Suppose you take
the two administrations of Gen.
Andrew Jackson and Morton Van
Buren, and compare them with
those of Mckinley and Roosevelt,
which period is the most prolific
in natural wealth?
Col. Bryan, by his fierce at
tack upon the Republican party,
has invited this comparison. The
Republican party welcomes the
challenge and can rely on the in
telligence of the country to de-
eide as to which party has con-
Quoted our national affairs with
the greater success.
Under the Protective system
there has been phenomenal pros
perity. Why, then, does the
Democratic candidate want to
change,to a revenue tariff? The
plea is that the tariff has called
into existence great corporations
called trusts; that few men Of
capacity for business have be-
come enormously rich; that these
rich men actually defraud the
country, acquiring what is called
predatory" wealth, that is
wealth~plundered from the pub
lie. Is he sure of all this? Some
men Will acquire wealth under
any system. The country grows
SO rapidly that the natural in
crease in value Of real estate in
growingcitiesmakes millionaires.
Think of the Astors of New York.
The tariff did not make their
wealth, but the increase in land
values in our commercial metro
polls. There are other ways OF
heaping priches independent OF
the Protective tariff. Certainly
the Protective tariff is not re-
sponsible for all our millionaires.
Doubtless, our Protective tariff
has been productive of great
wealth, giving the chance for
many keen witted people to be-
come phenomenally rich. But
while it has developed great mer-
chant princes, it has also induced
general prosperity, making oul
laboring Eaen on the farm, in the