Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-01-07
Prospects of Democratic Congress-
This Year.
William J. Bryan in the National MONTH

we ought to elect dDemOCratlc congress
this year-there would be no doubt about it
but for the unfortunate division that mani
Tested itself in our party during the discus
sion of the Aldrich bill. The attempt of
some of the Democratic members and Sena-
tors to secure protection for local interests
put them in the attitude of opposing peduc
tons proposed by the progressive Republi-
cans. While the rates asked by these pro-
tectionist Democrats were low as compar-
ed with the high rates of manufactured
products still, the very fact that they de-
manded protection, and not only demanded
protection but more protection, in some in
stances, than the progressive Republicans
were ready to give to those particular arti-
cles, puts our party on the defensive when
it urges tariff reduction. In addition to
supporting protective duties few of the
Democratic representatives in the Senate
and the House attacked the national plat
form and denied the binding force of plat
forms, The position was so broadly stated
in some cases as to make the platform
worse than useless if such position is en-
dOrsed by the Democrats of the nation.
A platform that is not binding is fraud,
because it invites support on pledge that
is only made to be broken. | am sure that
the almost unanimous sentiment among
Democrats is that a platform is binding
upon the Representative, and that to violate
il in letter or in spirit is not only undemo-
cratic but subversive to the principles of
representative government II is some
times urged that platform ought not to
90 into detail, but that depends upon con-
ditions The convention which adopts a
platform has authority to decide whether
it will deal with general principles or pres
ent specific demands. The official cannot,
after his election, reject the platform upon
which he secured his position.
Most of the Democratic votes cast against
proposed reduction were defended by those
who cast them on the ground that raw
materials should be taxed so long as there
is tax on the manufactured product, and,
strange to say, the Democrats who pre-
scented this defense insisted that they
were only asking for a revenue tariff. A
tariff that is asked for the purpose Of pro-
tecting producer of raw material cannot
be called revenue tariff, no matter how
small il is. A revenue tariff is a tariff
collected for tine purpose of raising revenue
and without regard to the question of pro-
lection. There may be incidental protec-
ton under revenue tariff. but tariff is
not incidental when il is planned for and
demanded on the ground of Justice to the
producer of raw material or on the ground
that il is not fair" to subject the producer
of raw material to foreign competition as
long as there is tariff on manufactured
products.
Those who voted against reductions Wig
orOusly denounced protection to manufac-
turers, overlooking entirely the fact that a
large part Of the protection secured by
manufacturers Is under the guse of COM
pensatory duties. Whenever tax is
placed upon raw material il is imme-
diately transferred to the consumer by the
imposition of tax on the manufactured
article Even a fiat ad valOrem tax on
both raw material and manufactured pro-
ducts much more than cOmpensates the
manufacturer for the tax imposed on raw
material because the raw material is but
part of the total value of the article,
while an ad valOrem tax is collected on
the entire value. 1t is impossible to Sc
cure any great reduction in the tariff on
| manufactured goods without reducing the
tariff on raw material, and much larger
advantage can be given to the consumers
in the way Of reduction If raw material
can be placed upon the free list.
While our chances of winning the next
| Congress have been seriously impaired by
| the votes cast and speeches made by DEM
ocrats in favor Of local protection, still this
| disadvantage can be. in a measure. over
come If our Democratic candidates will
come out upon strong platforms, declaring,
first, that a platform is binding: second
declaring against Cannonism and in favor
of the restoration Of popular government
| Ia the House Of Representatives; and
I Al Il H.. & a. IA
the tariff. J have props ied the fdnowint
! platform
Il A platform is a pledge given by thu
I oandidP' 10 the voters and when ratified
at re polls becomes contract between
q official and his constituents To vic
late il, in letter or in spirit, is not only
undemocratic, but repugnant to the princi
Piles Of representative government and con
stitutes an embezzlement of power
20 We denOunce the despotism known
as Cannonism and favor such an amend
ment of the rules of the national HOUSE
of Representatives as will restore popular
government in that body and insure the
rule of the majority on every question.
"3. We endorse the tariff plank of the
last national Democratic platform and be
lieve that the measure carrying out the
| promise Of that platform should. among
other things. provide for
Free wool, the abolition of the cOmpen-
satOry duties on wOOlens and a substan.
tial reduction in the ad valOrem rate on
wOolens.
Free lumber. free wood pulp and free
paper.
Free hides. leather. harness, boots and
shoes
Free oil and products Of OIL
Free iron ore, free coal and low duties
on all manufactures Of iron and steel
Free binding Irvine, cotton ties and cot
ton bag9ing.
| Material reductions in the cotton SEIZED
ules and in the tariff upon all other neces-
saries Of life especially upon articles sold
abroad more cheaply than at home. the
aim being to put the lowest duty on arti-
Giles of necessity and the highest on arti-
cles Of luxury. Articles coming into com
petition with trust-made articles should
be placed on the free list.
| mo tariff rate should be above so per
cent. ad valOrem, except upon liquor and
tobacco. and all rates above IS per cent.
excepting those upon liquor and tobacco.
should be reduced ne-twenteth each year
until rs per cent. rate Is reached. the
purpose being TO reduce the tariff gradu-
ally TO revenue basis and thereafter TO
collect tariff for revenue only"
This platform is presented tentatively.
Some Democrats may not be willing to
endorse all the platform. some may be
willing to 60 even farther, but all who ask
the support OF those who faver tariff re-
form ought 10 be willing to state their
position and to state 1t so clearly that
there can be no question as to their atti-
tude.
The moment a Democrat begins TO talk
about protection TO local interests in his
district or State he ceases to be Of any cid
as tariff reformer. because he will have
to spend so much time explaining why he
is for protection on a few articles that he
will not have time to oppose protection on
other articles. II might as well be under
stood, the sooner the better, that Demo-
cratic protection is not n bit superior to
Republican protection and that protection,
whether Democratic or Republican. in
evitably invites bargaining, trading and
corruption.
The Democratic party has thrown away
one-half its chance Of victory by its fail