Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-08
SOME TARIFF HISTORY.

The present campaign all over tht
country has been fought out on the
fundamental principles upon which
the two now dominant parties were
founded. There have been minor issues
in some of the states, but the
chief issue everywhere has been
the tariff question. The repub
Ilican party in this campaign is stand
ing on its record Of achievement. It is
standing for the continuance Of the
protective tariff under which this coun
try has advanced to it's present posi-
ton as a world power and under which
the American people have enjoyed a
state of prosperity that has not been
reached in any other country on the
globe.
AS ex-President Roosevelt well ex'
pressed it in his speech at Davenport
"the republican party is unanimous in
its belief in a protective tariff, high
enough to cover the difference between
the cost Of production here and abroad
and high enough to cover the differ
4 ence in the standard of living between
the wordngmen of America and those
abroad" This has been the policy of
the republican party since it was
| founded and through the workings OF
this policy during republican admins
trations the country has enjoyed its
greatest prosperity.
Attempts to reverse this policy by
| the enactment Of a free trade tariff
law, or tariff for revenue only, have
been disastrous. American history
brings this forcefully to the attention.
In previous years the democrats have
gone before the people on a low tariff
issue, and their success always has
brought disaster in it's wake, disaster
to the employer and employee, and to
the farmer. The Courier sets forth in
the paragraphs following brief review
of this country's history as it has been
affected by tariff legislation. This is
brought out, not as a political argr1-
ment, but as a plain presentation Of
facts for thinking people. It is an ap-
peal to the common sense Of the peo-
pie, and not to their political preju-
dice.
Same Old Story.
Andrew. Jackson was first elected
president in 1928, Immediately follow
ing the enactment of protective tar.
if law. This tariff law remained in
force only five years, but you can judge
Of the beneficial effects thereof from
a single paragraph contained in the
message Of President Jackson submit.
ted in December, 1882. He says:
Our country presents on all sides
marks of prosperity and happiness un-
equaled perhaps in any portion of the
world"
The next year, however, the author
Of this Endorsement signed a tariff act
which provided for a biennial reduc.
ton of one-tenth Of all duties in excess
Of twenty per cent so as to reduce the
rate on articles to twenty per cent at
the expiration of ten years.
Within six years from the passage
of this law public revenues had fallen
off twenty-five per cent; the govern
ment was again borrowing money.
Then it was that the country entered
upon the, worst panic period ever ex.
perienced in the memory Of any man
now living. This was the famous panic
of 1897, which continued with increas.
ing intensity until counteracted shortly
after the passage Of the protective tar
iff OF 1912, following the victory of the
whig party.
Horses 81 Each.
If any young people doubt the
severity Of that panic, go to your libra
ry and get Colton's Life of Henry
Clay. It says:
"In Ohio, with all her abundance, it
The sheriff OF Muskingutn county, as
SLdL6u Ill Lu0 IucluSSy AhCo, IL SAAS
summer of 1912, sold at auction ten
hogs at 6A cents each; two horses at
50 each; and two cows at 81 each. In
Pike county, Missouri, as stated by the
Hannibal Journal, the sheriff sold three
horses at $3.50 each; one large OK at
5121s cents; five cows, two steers and
one calf, the lot at 1928; twenty sheep
at 1879 cents each; and twenty-four
hogs, the lot at rs cents"
The protective tariff law passed by
the whig party in 1912 remained in
force four years and the best evidence
Of It's beneficial effect is to quote from
the message Of President Polk submit
ted to congress in 1915:
Labor in all it's branches is receiv-
ing ample reward, while education, sci
ence and the arts are rapidly enlarging
the means of social happiness. The
progress of our country in her career
Of greatness, not only in the vast ex-
tension of her territorial limits and
in the rapid increase Of her population,
but in resources and wealth and in the
hanny condition of our people. is with