Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-27
ROOSEVELT AND THE TARIFF

~ discussing q week ago, MT. hooSeFeils AutAS
bid for Southern votes. The Journal said that
on essential matters Of government his pol
icies and the souths convictions. his purposes and
the souths interests are radically opposite: His
ideos on those issues that peculiarly concern our
people are not only at Vorionce '0ith Southern
thought and sentiment, but they are repeIIant and
dangerous" This is true of his position on the
rights OF the States on the third-term precedent
on the political status of the negro and especially
Is IT true Of his position on the tariff.
The South is the cradle land of the doctrine that
the one rightful object of tariff duties should be to
provide revenue necessary to the maintenance of
the federal government That is a principle for
which its statesmen have most earnestly sriven, and
for which its citizens have voted generation after
generation Free trade is not to be secured in
year or decade protective duties be utter
IL abolished at a single stroke. But the South in
sIss as it always has. that there should be sane
and effective revision of the tariff downward. with
thorough freedom Of trade its ultimate goal.
This is inevitably the view Of people whose in
terests are SO largely agricultural ours; the
southern farmer naturally resents being forced to
ments legitimate needs. but for the fostering of
special interests and the protection Of giant monop-
oIies What the people Of this section have always
recognised the people of the nation whole have
At length perceived-that the tariff administered
BY the Republican party is merely system of gov
eminent patronage to the few the expense of the
many.
That system. Mr. Roosevelt has always advocated
and he advocates it no less insstenty today. As
president he stood for high protective tariff and
as third-term candidate he holds to the same gen.
eral purpose.
During the nearly eight years of his administra-
ton he did nothing whatever to revise the tariff in
the interest of the consumer; he entertained no
purpose and made no effort to that end. On the
contrary he protected the monopolies that go hand
in hand with the extortiOnate tariff and he added
10 the peoples burdens by the most extravagant
administration the country has ever known 'The
cost of living and the cost Of Rooseveltism, it has
been truly said. went side by side" During his
last term Of ONCE the government spent three bill
lion I'VE hundred and hftytwo million,
nine hundred and eighty-two thousand, eight hun
dred and sixteen dollars-an amount twice the ex-
psndItures Of the government from Washington to
Lincoln. Here. then. at least three factors in
the oppressive cost Of living for which Mr.. RoOse-
Welt cannot escape a measure Of responsibility-the
tariff, the trusts and a prOdigal waste Of public
money; and all three Of these factors, it should be
noted are intertwined with the tariff as their CEN
traI branch.
This is Mr.. Roosevelt's record. What is his posi-
ton today on this dominant Of the campaign?
It Is precisely that of the standpat Republicans He
recently told Rhode Island audience that he be-
Ieyed in protecting industries, but also in making
the owners Of these industries divide their profits
with their employees That means that he would
permit the special interests go receiving the
gains they enjoy under government patronage. but
force them-by what means he does not indicate
10 divide their spells with the men in their employ
What would such a scheme, were it realizable
profit the mass Of the people who not in the en-
ploy Of the particular interests? Would it benefit
the farmer whose implements and supplies would
continue to bear high tariff taxi Would it help
the average family that can scarcely make ends
meet because of the exorbitant duties on food and
clothing7 OF all the devices for class legislation
ever proposed that of Roosevelt concerning the tar
IN is the most vicious and absurd. He doesn't pro-
pose to stop the robbery but simply to make the
pirates divide their booty according to a more
fanciful plan. He offers remedy OF reform
for the tariff evil ITSELF the evil that cOrrupts pol
itcs that chokes competition. that ntrenches monop
oIes and burdens the households or all the nation
Mr. Roosevelt. following in the steps of President