The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-15
Consumer Not Considered.

The tariff bill now being pushed
through the United States Senate
by Aldrich and other Republican
trust senators demonstrates that the
Democratic National Convention was
justified in stating that the people
could not entrust "the execution Of
this important work to party
which is so deeply obligated to the
high protected interests as the Re-
publican party" The measure now
before the Senate is existing proof
of the inability Of the Republican
party to solve the tariff problem on
the side of equal and exact justice
to all and special privileges to none"
AS the National Monthly points out,
nowhere in the measure has the
consumer figured as a recognized
factor. Every mention Of the con-
sumer from any source is met by
the trust senators with speech
about the tariff as a means Of fixing
high rate of wages for American
workmen.
This, too, unmindful Of the fact,
that more than sixteen million peo-
pie in this country are engaged in
labor which is not and cannot be
tariff protected, while less than three
million are employed in protected
industries. When Mr.. Aldrich fixes
high tariff schedule ostensibly to
aid the wage scale of three million
people. he puts a tax upon sixteen
million others who get no benefit.
And how many of the protected
industries really make division of
the rake off they get by the tariff
with their employees? But after
recognizing the truth of the situa-
tion and the fallacy and inefficiency
OF the Republican position, we are
still without an explanation Of the
action of a large number of Demo
Gratis in Congress on this question.
BY voting with the Republicans
they have either come under the
edict of the Democratic National
Convention as deeply obligated to
highly protected interests" or the
Republican legislators have been abb
solved from that charge, and the
Democratic platform condemned as
;, ,,,,,,,,c+,.o,{h,, -, Tho No+;opa1 Dapo
cratic Convention declared itself in
favor of the reduction in the duty
On all the necessities of life, and
demanded that lumber be put on
The free list. That National Con-
icntion represented the Democratic
voters of the country. And they
gave expression to the party doctrine.
|. is not to be expected that Demo-
,rats will accept the views of any
Individual statesman in preference to
he party platform on questions with
which the party was fully as famili-
IT then as it IS today.
This is a fair statement of the
.ase as we find it in the National
Ionthly which is owned and edited
,y the National Chairman of the
Democratic party. 1t will be seen
hat the consumer is not considered
It all in the tariff bill now pending. |
While it taxes every farmer, mer- !
hant, laborer, in fact everybody
q this section, it does not contain !
IN item for their benefit. Why !
hould sixteen million workmen be
axed for the benefit of three million !
,ther workmen? Why should the |!
armers Of Orangeburg county be
axed on fertilizers, cotton ties and
tagging for the benefit of the jute !.
rust. the cotton tie trust and the (!
ertilizer trust? Why should these |;
anne farmers vote for man to rep |
esent them in Congress who votes
o tax them and millions Of others
or the benefit of the lumDer trust? |
yill Uncle Jack" please tell us.