The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-02-03

| few by taking from all by means of
the protective tariff been an influence
| FOR corruption! With the national
government giving the privilege of pro
! lection to a class at the eXpenss of
tie rest of the people. there is en-
! couragement afforded all forms of
| graft All graft is based upon privi-
| 'ege Officials are not bribed to give
| equal rights TO all, but 20 confer upon
the few some privilege denied the
many. All political parties ostensiblv
oppose the privilege of lawlessness,
but when it comes to privilege confer
red by law, there is a distinct issue
between the parties. The republican
parry stands irrevocably for the priv
| lege of a high protective tariff. The
democratic party if true to itself and
! it's teachings must stand squarely
against this privilege. A man may
call himself a democrat and be in ia
vor of high protective tariff, and he
may even represent his constituents,
but in fact he is not a democrat. The
congressman who votes for protection
on articles produced in his own state
cannot deny the justice of the demand
If Senator Aldrich for a larger share
of the tariff plumber for his state. A
tariff for revenue only is for the bene-
fit Of the public, but a tariff for the
protection of a class is for the benefit
Of that class at the expense of the
public The chief purpose of high
ton. and to that extent give monopoly.
The republican idea is to protect mo-
nopoly from the people; the demo-
cratic idea is to protect the people
from monopoly. When government
by means of a monopoly tariff attempts
TO take from one class and give to
another, a moral question is presented.
Wealth created by legislation must
IN the nature of things be drawn from
the public, and it is unjust for all the
neople to be taxed in order that a few
may profit A tariff other than for rev.
enue is merely a legalized graft. Let
the democratic party take an unmis-
taxable stand on this question and In
vite every one of all parties opposed
to this unjust system to unite with it
in the fight. Then there can be a
square issue between privilege and
equal rights. A battle over tariff
schedules claiming that some are too
high and others should remain as they
are, does not involve any principle,
and can only result in sham fight.
The tariff question cannot be settled
by a tariff board, for it is not simply
a matter of increasing or decreasing
the tariff on certain articles. 1t is a
question of principle as to whether the
tariff should be used for the purpose
of creating monopoly Before COM
mission could do any good the Ameri-
can people must decide whether the
tariff shall be for revenue merely or
for the purpose of protection. If the
people decide in favor of protection
a commission would not be necessary
to enable the special interests to grab
all they cPn get. IF the people decide
in favor of a revenue tariff then a
commission could c2l'y out the In
structiors of the people by adjusting
the ta!if schedules to that basis, in
such a way as to cause no shock tc
fair business by reason of too sudden
changes from the unnatural and artifi
cial conditions that have grown VI
under a monopoly building tariff.
The doctrine of equal rights SHOULD
be made a living vital, controlling
. force in government. This doctrine
opposes the privilege of subsidies
hounties and all forms of government
al favors to a. few at the burden Of all
The government has no more RICH
10 take from one man indirectly to adj
to the wealth OF anorher tina | t has t
compel one man directly to eohtrinut
to the fortunes of another. When sue
= governmental favors are conferre
they so to those of wealth and infiu
ence enough to secure them and ar
beyond the reach of the average mar
Ii such ravors benefited all alike, II
one would want them Il Is becaus
they give c,ass privilege denied t
others that these few clamor for then
and Il is for this reason that the res
of the people should not submit
such determinations. As privilege II
creases opportunity must diminisl
ma rs opportunity diminishes tn
rights of individuals ara lestroye