The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-24

Washington, August 2S-(Special.) )-John Sharp Williams and other democrats who supported the reciprocity convention with Canada have been reproached because they advocated a measure initiated by a repub- lican President and which commanded the vote of Boise Penrose. But reci- procity with Canada had been demo- cratic policy for three-score years, and but for the great war of 1s61-65 absolute free trade with Canada would have fol- lowed the reciprocity with that country adopted by the democratic administration of Franklin Pierce.
 It is history repeating itself-when one party steals the thunder of another Sir Robert Peel, one of the most consummate parliamentary leaders our race has pro- duced was protectionist, but he gave England free trade. Benjamin Disraeli, another superb parliamentary leader, dis established the Jewish church, policy condemned by his own party and advo- cated by his gerat adversary, Gladstone.
 And in our own country the lowest tariff we have had since 1872, and by some 1t is contended that it was the lowest tariff we ever had, was passed by a House of Representatives of which Nathaniel P. Banks of Massachusetts. republican, was speaker and Lewis D. Campbell, an old Whig and a republican. was chair man of ways and means. Nor is that all, for Russell Sage was a member of that committee and supported the bill. That was the Thirty-fourth Congress and the tariff bill it passed was a revision down of the Robert, J. Walker tariff, which Mr. Blaine in his book calls 'the free trade q,tariff of 1s46.'see ff -'4
 James A. Garfield made an elaborate speech in euogy of the low tariff of 1S57- perhaps the lowest in our history-but for that matter Garfield was as much of a free trade doctrinaire as Frank Hurd and a member of the Golden club be- sides but he was a reed shaken by the wind morally, and absolutely dominated by Blaine, Schenck, and other protection jsts of stronger will. Indeed, when he was the republican caucus nominee for speak CT of the Forty-sixth Congress, Pig Iron Kelly boted him for his tariff views and voted for Hendricks B. Wright, demo- cratic greenback of Pennsylvania and a Randalite on the tariff.
 The protective tariff would have died long ago if it's gospel had not been, "As long as the stealing is going on I want my share" Jonathan P. Deliver, the first man in the United States Senate, the last two years of his service in that body, showed that the infamous wool and woolen schedule K was the fruit of "a wicked conspiracy between the shepherds and the weavers to rob the people," The wool grower got protection for his prod- ucts. which gave excuse for greater pro- tetcion to the woolen manufa facturers. As soon wool goes on the free list the protective features will go off the woolen fabric and they who demand a tariff on raw wool will play into the hands of the wool manufacturers.
 What said John Sherman, the most consummate political economist the re- publican party has produced from the portectionists standpoint? Here it is, and every democrat ought to memorial 1t and throw 1t into the teeth ofe every Randallite in the party:
 "The dogma of some manufacturers that raw materials should be admitted free of duty is far more dangerous to the policy of protection than the opposition Of free traders; denial of protection on coal, wool, iron, or other raw material will lead to the denial of protection to ma chinery. to textiles, to pottery and other industries"
 There is the whole case. As long as the south demands protection for her raw materials. in decency she cannot with hold from the north protection for finish ed product. If the south shall taste of the forbidden fruit, she cannot reproach the north for gorging on 1t. The north is