The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-08-28
WIN. J. BRYAN MAKES HIS FIRST
SPEECH or THE CAM
PAIGN.
6. 0. P. PROMISES WORTHLESS
Too Deeply Indebted to Protected In
terests to be Trusted With
Work Of Reform.

jail park III TIC CITY tOuASul DClOIC
vast audience, fired the first gun in
the campaign. He attacked the Re-
publican promises of tariff revision
and asked if the Democratic party was
not justified when it included in its
platform the declaration that the
people can not safely intrust the exc
cution of this important work to a
party which Is so deeply obligated to
the highly protected interests as the
Republican party"
1.-THE whole aim of our party" he
said, in summarizing, "is to secure
justice to taxation. We believe that
each individual should contribute to
the support Of the Government in pro
portion to the benefits which he re-
ceives under the protecting Govern
ment. We believe that a revenue
tariff, approached gradually, accord
ing to the plan laid down in our plat
form, will equalize the burdens of
taxation, and that the addition of an
income tax will make taxation still
more equal. If the Republican party
is to have the support of the people
who find pecuniary profit in the
Legislature Of the taxing power as a
private asset in their business, we
ought to have the support of that
large majority of the people who pro-
duce the Nations wealth in time of
peace, protect the Nations flag in
time of war, and ask for nothing from
the Government but even-handed JUS
tice."
Mr.. Bryan's Speech.
In beginning his address Mr.. Bryan
said:
In my notification speech | stated
that as the campaign progressed,
would discuss the question, shall the
People Ruler" as it applies to the
various issues involved in this cam
paign. begin with the tariff ques-
lion, because it is the most lasting of
our economic questions, and the one
upon which the leading parties have
most frequently opposed each other.
other questions may come and go, but
questions which affect taxation, like
rennyson's Brook" Ego on forever"
As the Government is not a Lady
3ountiful with unlimited means, but |
merely an organization which must
collect on the one hand what it pays
tut on the other, the subject of tax
ltion is an ever present one. We
nay discuss how much we should col !
ect, what methods we should employ |
n collecting, and how best to dis
ribute, through appropriations, the
money collected, but we are never far
emoved from the subject of taxation.
owa has been selected for the pre-
entation of what l desire to say upon
his subject, because the Iowa Re-
ublicans were pioneers in the effort
0 secure tariff revision at the hands
the Republican party. come
mong them to define and defend the
position on the tariff ques-
on, because / believe it will commend
self to them.
Rule For Revision.
Let us suppose, for the sake of ar.
that the Republican party sim
erely repents of its delay in begin
ing tariff reform, repudiates its OBJ
cations to the contributing manufac-
Irers and honestly begins a 'revis-
n" What rule is to govern the
vision? The Republican platform
US:
"In all tariff legislation, the true
inciple of protection is best main
med by the imposition Of such du-
% as will equal the difference be-
reen the cost of production at home
d abroad, together with reason
lie profit to American industries.
Mr. Taft indorses this rule and says
at "in a number of schedules the
riff now exceeds this difference, and
at the excess offers a temptation to
ose who would monopolize the pro-
ction and sale of such articles in =
IS country" He adds, however, VI
1t there are some few articles on h;
ich the tariff is not sufficiently high a,
give them the measure Of protec-
n they should receive"
VIII he explain upon what rule the %
,sent tariff was framed? When ye
re the Republicans claimed more T.
'tection than enough to cover the 81
erence in the cost OF production la
e and abroad? The reasonable O6
fit to American industries" is an So
Iition to the rule, and is likely to la