Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-28
AMERICAN TARIFF LAWS
By FREDERIC j. HASKIN.
PROTECTION PROPAGANDA

Some idea may be formed as to the far
reaching consequences of the unending
campaign of education in favor of pro-
lection when 1t is stated that 10000 votes
properly distributed would have made the
present congress Democratic, and 4OOOO
properly placed would have made the SIX
tieth congress of the same political COM
plexion. A hundred thousand votes In
the close states would have placed VIII
liam Jennings Bryan in the white mouse
instead of William Howard Taft, ana
200, 900 cast in certain states would have
made Alton B. Parker president over
Theodore Roosevelt. Ordinarily the re-
suit turns on even a narrower margin
than this. For instance, had Mr.. Bryan
secured $4,000 more votes in the critical
states in 1896, he would have succeeded
Grover Cleveland. 1t is safe to assume
that the senates political complexion
would be likewise changed, and that the
balance of power between high tarin and
low tariff is held by less than one per
cent of the voters of the United States.
In all the history of politics there has
never been a more unrelenting, thorough
going, and effective campaign Of education
waged than that In behalf of protection.
This campaign began almost before the
constitution became an accepted fact, and
It has continued from that day to this
gathering strength, garnering influence
and assuming new proportions, until now
1t reaches more people every day IN the
year than any other campaign of educa-
ton can reach in a full week. Beside 1t
the literary crusade that was carried on
against slavery pales as does the moon
before the MONDAY sun.
No one can estimate the thousands up
on thousands of pounds of printers ink
that have been expended in this cam
paign. Weekly and monthly publications
are devoted exclusively to the propaga-
ton of protection doctrines. Others are
published in which the PRONUNCIATION Of
these doctrines is certainly not a second
airy interest. Every maker Of boiler
plate" stuff for the small daily and the
weekly newspapers is regularly supplied
with matter tending to uphold the pro-
lection theory. Speeches are circulated,
tracts distributed, free editorial matter
supplied, suggestions freely handed out.
And so 1t goes on necessarily, only with
more energy today than yesterday, and
more tomorrow than today.
Many are the organizations that are en-
gagged in spreading the protection senti-
ket club, the Union League club, and the
American Protective Tariff league. The
latter is the most aggressive and the most
unrelenting Of all of them. Political par
ties get very active during the stress of a
campaign. But as soon as 1t is over they
fall back into a state of do-nothingness
until the next approaches. But not so
with the American Protective Tariff
league. IL works as hard between cam
paigns as 1t does while one is in pro-
gress. Right now 1t is getting things in
shape for the congressional election of
1910. 1t is sending out cards to protec-
tionists everywhere and is getting from
them Ia list of men who will cast their
first votes that year. These cards will
give them all of the information neces-
sary upon which to base a systematic
bombardment Of the judgments Of these
first voters, and from now to the election
a year from next fall these young men
will be well instructed in the cardinal
doctrines of protection.
-
Nor is this all. While seeking out the
first voters the American Protective Tariff
league is not taking any chances that the
first voters of last year or any previous
year shall be, exposed to the dangers of
hacksliding. They are being cultivated as
erature is being got out all the time, and
the tremendous circulation of BOILER
plate" and patent outsides. is being used
to the utmost advantage. In a recent year
In which there was no election the league
distributed twenty-five million pieces of
literature.
After this goes on for nearly two
years the political campaign opens up
The party orators, party workers, and
party organs suddenly get busy and con-
tinue so for a few months. Then comes
the voting and the announcement of
the result. Little wonder is it that the
party espousing protection is the win
ner. Men differ as to the questions in
volved in the tariff; but those who know
what has been taking place cannot but
ascribe much of the credit of victory to
the missionary work of the protection
propagradists.
On the other hand, the low tariff advo-
Gates are able to do but little mission
ark work between campaigns. There are
not those wealthy people who have suf-
ficient motive to put up the money re-
quired for an out-of-season campaign in
behalf of a low tariff. 1t is always hard
enough for the low tariff people to get
money sufficient to carry them through
a campaign, much less to wage the war
between elections. Only a few times in
the history of the country has it been
different.
The constant fight in favor of protec-
ton, before the people, was begun about
1920. New York and Philadelphia had So