The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-31

~ Is tax laid upon imported arti-
cles. According to the Democratic
ideas. this tax Is borne by the con-
sumner OF the foreign-made article.
The Democratic View.
The Democratic party. as announc-
ed In various platforms. stands for
tariff sufficient for revenue. Limited
by the needs Of the government, hon
estiy and economically administered"
and such duties to be so adjusted as
to operate equally throughout the
country and not discriminate between
class or section" This Is the Ian
guage of the Walker report. upon
which was constructed the Demo-
cratic tariff act Of 1S46. since recog-
niEed by every Democrat as the ideal
method of adjusting tariff rates TO
provide revenue to run the govern
mont. and at the same time, distrib-
ute equally. throughout the country
and upon all classes. the necessary
burdens of this system of taxation.
The Walker Act. and every other
Democratic tariff act. admits that
certain incidental; more accurately.
accidental and unavoidable benefits
accrue to local industries wherever
tariff duties are levied upon the for
eign article competing with them.
The unavoidable benefit is measured
by the height of the tariff rate; and
up to a certain point. all tariff duties
are both revenue and protective. A
rate Is revenue in it's character up to
that point where its operation does
not prevent importations of the for
eign article: IL becomes protective
whom its operation prohibits impor-
tations of the foreign article.
The Democratic party has stead
fastiy adhered to the doctrine of so
adjusting tariff rates that the burden
OF taxation be equally distributed;
that the unavoidable benefits OF the
system go to all sections of the coun-
try without discrimination. This Is
the fundamental doctrine Of the party
upon the tariff issue. / am an old
fashioned Democrat. with the cour-
age TO stand for the time -honored
principles woven into the warp and
woof Of the party, 1 am a practical
Democrat who finds a distinction be-
tween real Democracy and that kind
IL Democracy found lightly resting
upon the lips of the demagogue.
The Party and Free Trade.
The Democratic party Is not a par
~ of free trade; individual Demo-
Gratis may stand for such a doctrine,
but the organic party has never an
nounced 1t. II Is a cardinal principle,
lhd down I'm the Walker report, that
only "for imperative reasons the ar
tcie may be placed In the free list
OF those free from all duty" The
party has never advocated a large
free list for the pertinent reason that
the larger the free list. the higher
must be the rates upon the dutiable
articles. The party stands for low
rates upon all articles ana against
high rates on any special articles; a
rule whose only exception Is that "for
imperative reasons certain articles
may be placed upon the free list and
upon luxuries the rates may be made
high. The man who does not adhere
to this doctrine Is either ignorant Of
the basic principles OF the party, or
not a Democrat.
Democrats May Differ on Schedules.
In the matter of adjusting rates in
an act containing as many as four
thousand articles. IL Is but natural
that Democrats may disagree among
themselves. both as TO the determi-
nation OF dutiable articles and as TO
the rate. This Is not a matter of
princlple-it Is one OF individual tudg-
ment. As a Southern Democrat.
thing commercial fertilizers should go
upon the free list. while a Northern
Democrat believes a small revenue tax
should be on this article. My .opin-
ion that no tax should be placed upon
Ii makes me no less Democrat than
his belief that II should bear a tax
makes him a Republican 1t Is a mat
ter OF individual Judgment. and no
man can Justly he read out of the
party who happens to differ lthw his
party who happens to differ with his
revenue rate adjustment.
The Duty on Lumber.
Criticism Of me has been INDUCED
In by some of the press. and few
constituents. because after mature
consideration / did not see flt To vote