The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-03-22
The Worst Feature OF Protection,
He Says, Is Decentralization
OF Our Political Ideas.
SCHEDULES MUST BE REVISED
System at the Heart Of Every Other
Economic Question We Have TO
Deal With, Says Governor Of
New Jersey.
Atlanta (Ga.) Journal.

The dominant Issue of the approach
ng presidential campaign will be the
tariff.
There Is certainly no other question
that reaches so far or strikes SO deep
~ into the nations common interests.
At the very root Of many, II not
most, of the political evils that now
beset the country, lies the outworn
system OF protective tariff which the
Republican party brought forth and
which II persists In maintaining.
The trust problem Itself Is but one
aspect OF the tariff question. Certain
It Is that monopolies and combinations
in restraint of trade will be vastly
more difficult to form and maintain
when the artificial tariff wall that now
protects them Is removed. They would
still require measure OF regulation,
but under present conditions we find
the government prosecuting them with
one hand and patronizing them with
the other. The Sherman antitrust act
is we'll enough in It's particular sphere.
but no matter how vigorously II may
be applied, II can never within itself
undo the effects OF tariff system that
puts a ban on competition and builds
a hot house for groups OF particular
interests. This is the policy that en-
ables American trusts to charge the
people Of this country more for their
products than they charge their Gus
toners in Europe. This Is the heart
and the source of nearly all the evils
which we classify under the term,
special privilege" 1t is just at this
point that corrupt business and cor
rupt politics join hands.
1t is a noteworthy circumstance that
ddate for the presidential nomination,
Is particularly clear-headed and Wig
orous exponent OF the doctrine OF tar
iff for revenue only. In recent ad-
dress before the National Democratic
club in New York. Governor Wilson
declared:
"The worst feature OF protection is
the decentralization OF our political
ideas. We have based government
upon patronage and privilege instead
OF Justice and equality. That's the
cancer that eats at the hearts OF all.
It is likely that for an indefinite pc
riod we shall have to pay our national
bills by duties collected at the ports
Though | am not for drastic changes,
| wish | saw some ultimate escape
from It. At present do not. There
fore. what we have to ask ourselves
is not the principle upon which we are
to act, for that Is plain. We are to
act upon the fundamental principle OF
the Democratic party, not free trade,
but tariff for revenue, and We have
got TO approach that by such avenues,
by such stages and at such a pace as
Will be consistent with the stability
and safety of the business OF the
country"
There is here set forth thoroughly
consistent and at the same time we'll
poised course OF action for the party
to pursue. system that has been de-
veloped through generations and that
involves the country's business equili-
brium cannot be struck to pieces at n
single blow. But It should be dealt
with none the less positively, and
there should always be held in view
the ultimate prlnciRe of tarirf for reve
nue. only.
Governor Wilson has said again in
an interview with the New York
| World:
"The tariff question is at the heart
! OF every other economic question we
have to deal with and until we have
adjusted that properly we can settle
nothing In way thst will be satisfac-
! tory and lasting The tariff is the one
central issue of the coming cam
/ paign."
! The Journal has previously COM
! mended Governor Wilson TO the peo-
! pie OF Georgia and the south on the
| ground that he Is a Democrat OF south.
ern birth who represents the keenest
| sympathies and the best traditions OF
! this section and who furthermore by
! virtue OF his luminous record and his
= splendid ability is the party's most ad.
! visable candidate for the presidency
! To that we may now add that he IL.
and has long been. a foremost advo-
cate of the one basic doctrine OF
southern Democracy-the doctrine Of
tariff for revenue. instead OF for pro.
lection and patronage. Surely a domL
nant Issue And a presidential candi.
date were never more thoroughly mat.
ed.