Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-20
ESTABLISHED 1925
Thursday, May 20. 1909.
The Tariff a National issue.

The Tariff a National issue.
One interesting fact that has been
specially conspicuous in the congress
sjohal debates, has been the fact that
Representatives and Senators who
hay5. favored the abandonment Of the
ptficy Of protection on various articles
o1 American production. have been
Very careful TO select those that do IT
Flourish in their own States and dis
tricts
The Representatives of the Hard
Wheat Belt" hold up their hands in
horror at the mere suggestion that the
duty Of Il cents a busheI on oats,
fifteen cents bushel on corn and
twenty-five cents a bushel on wheat
be removed. What" they exclaim put
our prosperous farmers into unre-
stricted competition with those Of
Russia, Canada and the Argentine Re-
public, The idea is preposterous; the
very suggestion is insulting. No. let US
by all means retain the protection We
enjoy on cereals 1t should be greater
rather than less. but inasmuch as no
lumber is produced in the Hard Wheat
Belt" let us cheerfully unite in putting
lumber upon the free list" The State OF
Maine which has an army of $4,000
men employed in the allied lumber,
wood pulp and paper interests, might
well dcmur To such a programme. Let
us by all MEANS it would say
maintain the protection that is neces
sary to the prosperity of these great
allied Industries so vital to the pro-
gress and prosperity of our State, but
inasmuch as We buy the bulk OF our
corn and oats and wheat from the
Hard Wheat Belt" by all means let
these products be put upon the free
list" And 50 it goes. The free list is
very generally recommended for some
one else's products, Even Senator Ben
Tillman once an ardent free trader is
advocating a duty on tea inasmuch as
fully in his own state of South Caro-
lima. 1t is evident that Congress can
not formulate a tariff bill upon tn
selfish interests of any section
1t must act for the whole country
for all sections and all in
terests 1t has been demonstrated be-
yond reach of controversy that the
protective policy is essential to
the progress and prosperity of
States has attained material
growth and development that has been
at once the wonder and admiration of
the world The very great majority Of
the American people believe in the
continuance of that policy, and the
men who are charged with the duty of
formulating a new tariff, in harmony
with present day conditions. will per
form their task along protective lines.
The country asks and desires nothing
else. The Republican leaders of the
Senate are big enough and broad
enough to recognize the fact that We
are one country with common aims
and aspirations; that what benefits one
section must ultimately benefit all
sections. II is true that the Hard
Wheat Belt produces no lumber; bu;
II has the privilege OF feeding the large
army OF men engaged elsewhere
in that industry and by the good
prices secured from them is able
In turn to buy the products
of the forest The markets afforded
under the protective policy by one
section maintain the industries of
another. and thus all sections are en-
abled to share in the general prosperity
of the nation We have reason therefore
to believe that the tariff bill that will
finally be enacted into law will compre-
bend the interests of the country in its
entirety. that it will be legislation for
the whole union and not for any par
ticular section or sections of it. En- =
acted upon these broad lines it will
insure the continuance of that splendid
National growth and development
which has made it possible for our
country tn attain the foremost position
in the industrial life of the world
The Pennsylvania railroad did not