The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-11-01

Originally the tariff was a license
fee which the foreign merchant had
to pay for the privilege of doing bust
ness in this country. 1t was nom
inal fee.
The principle of protection or the
doctrine of free trade had nothing to
do with the tariff, when first intro
duced. 1t took sailing vessel many
weeks to cross the ocean and the
transport of goods was an expensive
affair.
Seventy years ago trade competi-
tion between this country and Europe
was unknown. Then followed the era
of inventions and slowly the situa-
ton began to change.
The first steamboats, were a mar
velous improvement over the sailing
vessels, but the modern leviathans OF
the ocean are a still more wonderful
improvement. Distance has been an
initiated; cost has been reduced to a
minimum. Shipments from the old
world reach the port of New York as
- quickly and more cheaply than they
can be made by rail from New York
to Chicago. The telegraph has ami
hilated time.
pean merchant is standing on the
threshold of the American door like
the peddler who Is ringing the front
door bell ready to sell his wares to
the tenants Of the house.
From the fact that the European
markets were coming closer and
CLOSER to the borders Of the United
States was born the principle of pro-
lection. Something had to be done to
protect the home market from foreign
invasion. Factories had been estab-
.iished, mills were In operation, shops
land furnaces were busy and furnished
work for an ever increasing number
of immigrants. But here stood the
foreign merchant ready to unload his
cheaper product, due to cheaper Ia
Dor, and killed the infant home indus
try.
The farmer and the laborer asked
to be protected from the foreign In.
vader and far-seeing statesmen took
up their cause and gave the tariff It's
real value as Protective" tariff
That Is, henceforth the license fee
was placed so high that the foreign
merchant found 1t no longer profitable
to do business In this country.
The whole solution Of the question
Is so selfevident that An argument
seems almost q waste of time.
This country Is large enough and
big enough and great enough to pro-
duce everything that the human be-
ing needs and longs for.
This country can produce and man.
ufacture everything that Is needed
Self-interest and the happiness Of the
nation dictates the necessity OF keep
Ing the people of the United States
busy.
1t is not the duty Of the American
people to keep the mills in Germany
working overtime. or to supply labor
for the industries Of Great Britain.
The first duty a nations owes Is its
duty to iself-the duty OF protecting
the home market.
How did this principle work out in
practice? Every time a protection
policy was in force. industries and
agriculture fiourished and the nation
was prosperous. Every time the pol
icy was discarded stagnation in the
Industrial and agricultural life of this
country followed. Panics ensued and
the law was plunged into misery
One only needs to recall the era Of
President Cleveland's administration
during the years 1893 and 1896.
Thus, what was proven to be cor
rect In principle. was confirmed by
actual. though bitter experience.
In the face Of this situation 1t does
seem like an Insult to a mans good
common sense to come to him in this
late day and attempt to urge him to
vote against the Republican party and
protective tariff.
Free trade? The enemies of the
Republican party are ashamed to use
that term. They want tariff for
revenue only" But that is a mere
subterfuge. A protective tariff, too,
raises revenues. II that were their
desire they would advocate taxes on
non-competition articles only; for ex-
annie on coffee
"If had my way today, sir, would
tear down all custom houses from
turret to foundation stone" This ex-
preston emanates from Mr.. Champ
Clark, speaker of the house and the
leader OF democracy in congress. It