The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-08-01
McClNNlS' fine SPEECH.
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fundamental principles OF democrat
lie government, the only safeguard
to liberty, security and happiness.
Present wrongs cannot be cured
by the application of any homeopath-
ic remedy. There can be no compro-
mise between the people and. the
vested interests. # the interests
are to continue to govern then gov
eminent will be administered by
the few for the benefit of the few,
and if the people rule then the gov
eminent will be administered for
the benefit of all.
The Issues.
The two great political parties
have held their National Conventions,
made and adopted their platforms
and named their candidates. The
line of battle for the coming cam
paign has thereby been form
ally drawn and the issues made
up, Fairly stated, the campaign is
one represented by special privileges
and favored interests on the one
hand advocating a government by
the few for the benefit OF the COVER
nors as against one on the other
hand made by the people for the
government of the people for the
benefit of the governed.
The Tariff.
Chief in importance and therefore
paramount among the issues is the
tariff question.
It is claimed on the one hand and
partially admitted on the other that
many of the present evils such as
the high cost of living and the un-
equal distribution of wealth result
ing in the accumulation of vast for
tunes on the one hand and extreme
poverty on the other, are caused
chiefly, if not altogether, by the high
tariff.
Our republican friends have en-
acted and kept in operation for near
ly fifty years the protective tariff sys-
tenn under different bills and
schedules, so that whatever wrongs
hcve been perpetrated or evil grown
up during that time has been under
the protective system if not because
of it. If the protective tariff has
not been the cause of these condl-
lions then to what else can we con-
tribute them? Has the republican
party been derelict in it's duties in
other matters, unable to cope with
conditions and prevent the injuries
that have been done, or has it been
the inherent fault of the protective
system?
They indirectly acknowledge that
the system may be wrong but plead
for it's continuance for fear its Ov-
erturning may be detrimental and
destructive to the interest and pros
perity of the country. If the system
is wrong and has wrought existing
evils how can we hope for better
conditions by it's continuance or
suffer injury by doing away with it!
No one benefited by it's operation
to the detriment of others can COM
plain of its abrogation. There can
be no vested right from an initial
wrong, and if it be the cause of
existing conditions we cannot hope
for better as long as it continues to
be the policy of the government
Confession of Weakness.
The republican party confesses
. its weakness and inability to deal
with the tariff question further
After having adopted and used a
sO-called standard measure of pro-
lection for l6 years, which at first
declared should be the difference be-
.
abroad and then changed to the
difference of the cost of production
at home and abroad with reasonable
profit added they now come into
the open court of the public and frank
ly confess that while they are still in
favor of protective tariff they are
unable to define or establish any
standard measure of protection.
of n
system or policy of such vast i'm
portance and far-reaching conse-
quences it's advocates and supporters
admit that there is no standard by
which it may be administered and
return to the general and uncertain
statement that it shall be sufficient
to protect American industry and
labor. This simply means if the
people will still suffer it they will
keep the tariff high enough to pro-
tect the manufacturer in his eXtor-
ton and compel them to pay tribute
to him.
They confess their utter ignorance
lack of knowledge of the facts and
attend a school of instruction made
Z
by the President of the United
States. If the republican represen,
tatives in the Congress and Senate
of the United States who have been
formulating and making revenue
laws for the past fifty years admit
their ignorance about that which
they have been legislating and that
the more they legislate the less
they know of the system and its
workings, its benefits to the concerns
protected and effect upon the people
it is sufficient confession of incom
potency as to Justify the people il
refusing to return a single one Of
them as their representatives in any
department of government.
A Tariff for Revenue.
The issue on the tariff is squarely
drawn. The democratic party be
lieves in tariff for revenue only. We
do not advocate any sudden reduc
ton or overturning of the presen
system but rather a gradual one
that will allow legitimate business
to adjust itself to the change. First