The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-04-05
GIVE THEM ALL THE ROPE.

mOcracy will be at the Protective
Tariff, hammer and tongs. 1t pro-
poses to completely sever the Protec-
tive tail from the national dog.
Whether it will try to do the job
all at once OF ''for humanity's sake"
cut off a chunk every little while. re.
mains to be seen, but Democratic
leaders make no bones of declaring
their intention of completely wiping
out Protection as soon rs il can he
done.
The Democracy holds that consider
ing the whole country the vote of last
November must be taken as man.
date of the people to place the Tariff
on a strictly revenue basis, which
means placing the duties at the point
which will assure the largest possible
revenue. This, in turn, means col
lecting as much revenue as possible
from commodities which we do not
produce and gathering the remainder
from competitive products by duties
placed low enough to attract large
importations.
A revenue Tariff of that kind is syn.
onymous with "Free-Trade," as gen.
orally understood. Treasury require
ments do not permit absolute Free
Trade in any country.
The Chronicle has been a Protec-
ZIONIST Journal since its foundation.
1t is a Protectionist Journal today.
1t stood for the Dingley tariff while it
lasted, and later for the Payne-Ald-
rich Tariff as ali improvement thereon
and in the language of President Taft,
the best Tariff act ever enacted in this
country. The Chronicle also stands
for impartial trade with all nations,
and abhors so-called reciprocity" in
any form, and particularly any fiscal
legislation whatever concocted in
secret and embodied in a treaty.
Nevertheless the Chronicle is of the
opinion that the Democracy has the
right to consider the vote of last No
vember as mandate to enter upon a
Free Trade policy, and is of the opin.
ion that Protectionists will gain no.
thing by factious opposition. We
believe the Democratic House should
be given such assistance As the stand.
patters can give to promptly pass
whatever Tariff bill it desires 10 enact,
and if possible pass il on to the Presi-
dent.
Of course, they will put on record
their reasons against it and record
their votes. But nothing can be
gained, and much can be lost, by
attempting to delay what cannot be
prevented.
Give the Democrats all the rope
there is.
BY PrOtectionists the Chronicle
means the breed commonly known as
"standpatters" those who favor Pro
lection which gives the domestic
markets to domestic producers, wheth.
or of raw or manufactured com.
modities. And who also stand for
impartial trade and oppose the en-
bodying of any fiscal legislation what.
ever in a treaty.
The Chronicle does not know of any
Insurgent Republican who fills this
bill.
The consistent Protectionists should
unite, refuse compromise of any sort
with any pretended Republican, and
whether one fourth, one-third or one
half of either branch of Congress,
stand pat.
Let the Democrats get quickly what
they ask for under their mandate from
the people. If the law when enacted
makes for the prosperity of the nation
We shall ali be Free-Traders.
At least the Chronicle will, for all
it desires is national prosperity.
But if the Free-Trade policy should
have such results as it has hithe rto
had in this country, the people will
know it, and if they perfer Protection,
will give the necessary mandate.
No assistance should be asked of the
Republican Insurgents. Let them
vote and talk as they please. They
are not Republicans as Republicauism
has been understood for the last
quarter of . century, and at any rate
they are not standpatters.