The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-10-04

d0utotS never point to italy as an IL
austration of how excessive tariff rates
'protect" the common people?
italy il one Of the most highly pro-
tected countries OF Europe. 1t is ia
Mous as q country Flowing with milk
and honey"
Yet they never talk about Italy, do
the upward revisionists.
While In Italy three years ago, the
writer learned at first hand some Of
the reasons why our protectionists
never say Look at Italy"
Italy puts heavy duties on both agri.
cultural and manufactured imports.
She pays her people exceedingly low
waxes. She charges them very high
prices for the necessities Of life. They
emigrate in large numbers.
To understand the situation clearly
We must go back to 1867. About that
time q violent revolution In the system
of Italian customs was brought about
A powerful political group of textile
manufacturers Joined forces for their
Own ends with a powerful political
group OF large landowners. Tariffs
were heavily increased. But not on
everything. That powerful band Of tex.
tile manufacturers took good care that
Lesser manufacturers, who made arti.
cles needed In the textile factoris,
DAr0 ur,s nm hIad IN ,,,,t ,,r, tbat, t,ricao
Hand In hand with the powerful
manufacturers the big landowners
cane out For slice of the tariff pie"
In order that they should be sufficient
" compensated for being In politics,
the landowners had heavy tax placed
ON wheat. In Italy II is only the big
landowners who grow wheat. Three
out of every four landowners in Italy
are possessors OF small properties, cul.
uvatinE fruit for wine. They have to
bay considerable part of the wheat
they eat. So 1t happened that where
one large wheat farmer got bigger
pro6ts. three small fruit farmers got
hit. That Is the way protection in
variabiy works out. What is one mans
perfection In another mans poison.
Hsrk. however, this further result
sf the Italian tax on wheat: Millions
Of Italians never eat wheat bread, ex.
cept In cases of illness or on special
festivals. They make a bread maize.
In this and In other respects the stand
ard of living OF the Italian people IL
very low, because prices are too high.
An enormous fiscal and protective
tax vas also put upon sugar The pric-
90 rOse 30 high that Italian farmers
watched their Oranges. lemons. peach
es. and other products of warm and
geasrous sun rot on their trees In or
der that the 33 manufacturers of the
sugar syndicate might levy upon con.
suDers yearly tribute" '
Var and away the chief OF the Ital
ian Industries are silk reeling and
sslk throwing. These Industries have
been seriously hampered by protection.
AAl Italy is the home of the silkworm.
One OF the chief troubles OF Italy IL
thai the general rise In prices has 30
greatly iessened the purchasing pow
er ef the wages OF the people that the
greal mass of the small dealers and the
worklngmen and women suffer bitter.
~.
II In calculated that while ten ltal-
isns lOse by protection. only one stands
any chance Of gaining. He does not
always gain. for the country does not
progress. The interests of Italy are
ssusiAced to the one In ten.
In other words, excessive tariffs In.
creased tho cost of living to the Italian
peoRlc just as the Payne.Aldrich law
In tacroasing the cost OF living in tho,
United States.
IL II any wonder that the protection
lists never ask us 10 look at Italy?'
Both Are Right
Theodore Roosevelt, candidate for a
thard term AS president, said recently;
Tat now represents the bosses, and
the Republican party Is composed of
item and the vested interests OF the
cOantry."
And President Taft said: Roosevelt
In not Republican. but represents a
oss man party whose chief advisers
ssS the harvester and steel trust mag.
mates"
Senator LaFollette OF Wisconsin, al.
80 = Republican. says both Taft and
Rssssvelt are telling tho truth about
sssph other And LaFollette has had
enough experienc with both Messrs,
Tan and Roosevelt to know what he
Dc talking about.
The answer Isl; Win with Wilson!
Divorce the Philippines
One tremendous expense now being
sssus by American taxpayers that
wtll be lifted In the event OF the elec
sioa Of Democratic president and