The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-09-26
HE SAYS THE REAL ISSUE is
THE OLD, OLD QUESTION, A
TARIFF FOR REVENUE
ONLY VS.. PROTECTION.
SWEEPS PROTECTION AWAY
The Democrats Making Free Trade
the Paramount Issue, It Is
Good Time to Read What
Mckinley Said.
(5y James Boyle, Gcv. McKinley's
private secretary.)

The political quidnuncs who have
been anticipating that the issues of
this presidential campaign would be
sensational in their novelty are
going to be disappointed Brushing
aside the froth and discarding the
fuss and feathers incidental to the
hysterical hero worship of Mr.. Roose-
welt, it is becoming more and more
evident that the much despised and
somewhat threadbare and boresome
tariff question is still the one over
shadowing dividing issue between
the two great parties. A careful
reading of the acceptance speeches
of the Democratic candidates for
president and vice president clearly
proves this. All other questions are
subsidiary. The Democratic plat.
form declares unequivocally for a
nounces a protective policy as un-
constitutional AS a university pro-
fessor, Mr. Wilson has taken eXcep-
ton to the historic Democratic con-
tention that protective tariff is re-
pugnant to the constitution; but as
the Democratic candidate for the
presidency he evadCs that phase of
the queStiOn-and he indeed ignores
the platform on the point-but he
subscribes to the doctrine of his
party that the tariff must be for rev.
enue only. and must not include the
idea of protection. The Democratic
conception of the tariff is that it
must be exclusively for raising a
constitutional but is iniquitous to
mclude-even Incidentally protec-
ton to American industries as one of
the attributes, or functions, or con-
sequences of the tariff. AS candi-
date, Wilson has recently repudiated
his own teachings of Z score of
years as to the initiative and refe"
eEdum, so it appears that political
eXigencies have also caused him to
discard, or at any rate, to smother
the views he held while profess
sional teacher in regard to the cOnsti-
tutionality of projections and it is
fair-and even necessary-to assume
that he swallows the entire Demo
cratic platform, rot only with refer
ence to the tariff, but everything
else.
Always a Free Trader.
Mr. Wilson is absolutely and un
qualifedly for tariff for revenue
only, as opposed to the most moder.
ate kind of a protective tariff. 1t is
not a question of reducing the pres
ent tariff Mr.. Wilson believes that
every shred of protection to Ameri.
can industries should be torn away.
Mr.. Wilson seeks to copy the Eng.
lish system of customs; as a matter
OF practice, tariff for revenue only
is the same as free trade. as it is
generally called in England. II is
true that he is inclined to be some
what conservative or dilat0ry as to
the time when free trade or tariff
for revenue only should be applied,
but he has made i, plain that his
ultimate aim and that of the Demo
cratic party is the entire abolition of
the protective principle in the tariff
policy of the United States.
1t should be clearly. appreciated
that a mere revision of the tariff
downward will not satisfy the Demo
cratic party or the Democratic candi-
date for the presidency. The Repub-
lican party can quite consistently re
wise the tariff downward as to GER
tain schedules and still maintain the
principle of protection. But Mr.. Will
son and his party are committed in
this campaign to the total destruc
ton Of every element Of protection in
the tariH. and to the establishment
Of the principle of revenue as not
only the prime, but as the only OBJ
iect of a tariff. According to this
doctrine the greater the quantity of
importatons of foreign manufactures
or farm products the better, even
though these importations do replace
American manufactures or farm prod
ucts.
viii You Spoil Prosperity?
Do the American people desire this
change? According to the flood of
Democratic oratory which has com
menced to sweep over the country,
and the confident claims OF the Dem
ocratic politicians and newspapers
the American people are eager to
substitute a tariff for revenue-or
free trade-for protection. The claim
is made that protection is fosslized
and played out" and that to be a
protectionist is to be a "standpat
ter" a "reactionary," and even a
tool of the interests" But with the
cool autumn weather it would be well
for the American people to put their
thinking caps on. 1t may be old fash
ioned, but it is nevertheless the part
of wisdom to take stock of expert
ence There is a Baconian axiom that
"by far the best proof is experience"
But it is now proposed to ignore the |
teachings of the past. Before 1t is |
too late, there should be little re
Election. Away back in 1882 our own |
William Mckinley said: eve know |
What we have done and what we can
10 under the policy of protection. We
ave had some experience with a
evenue tariff, which neither inspires
lope, nor courage, nor confidence"
70 statesman of modern times was
learer in definition or analysis than