Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-25
HOW REPUBLICAN TARIFF
IS. HURTING BUSINESS


To no one group of citizens has Governor VIII
sons plea for honest tariff revision appealed more
forcefulIy than to the rank and file of business
manufacturers included In a recent speech at Pitts
burg, commonly regarded fastness of high-proe
lection views, he laid particular emphasis on the.
tariff issue; and, interestingly enough hearers who
had come in spirit of doubt or criticism, went
away thoroughly convinced of the sanity and wisdom
Of the Democratic program Ser
In this address, as in many others, Governor Will
son made two things especially clear: First that the
Democratic party docs not propose free trade, or
anything approaching free trade" and second that
the protective system as now administered and as
defended by both the Republican party and the Third
party is harmful not only to the farmer, the work
ingman and the average consumer but also to the
great mass of manufacturing industries.
1t has become favorite trick with the Repub
Iican campaigners and also with number of the
Roosevelt speakers to cry that the Democrats are
bent upon utterly wiping out import duties and es
tablishing reign of absolutely free trade. On its
very face such a suggestion is absurd The revenue
of the federal government must come from duties
collected at the ports that absolutely free trade
is impossible and "the Democratic party Is not like
some others, promising the impossible"
What Governor Wilson does propose is: Such
a reconsideration of the tariff schedules will ad
Just them to actual business condit ons and the in
terests of the country" In this particular field OF
n form, he is guided by the same spirit that has
directed all his endeavors for progress. I'VE are
cutting away anomalies, not institutions We are
clearing away the jungle and letting in the pure
light and air. not destroying the wholesome forest
or creating waste places where there productive
growth"
The Republican tariff is not really protection"
but patronage, government patronage to a few
groups of particular Interests at the expense of the
countrys commerce and industry a whole. Whom
do the Payne-Aldrich schedules protect? Certainly
not the farmer, for the cost Of his impements and
supplies have been steadily increasing during the
past fifteen years with no proportionate increase in
his own earnings Certainly not that great body of
citizens called the working people, for while the cost
of living has advanced anywhere from thirty to
hundred per cent, there has been no corresponding
rise in wages Certainly not the average consumer
for the great majority of households find it more
and more dificult to make their income and their
necessities meet
The average American family pays tariff tax
of about one hundred and fifteen dollars year,
sum which represents at least months labor for
the average breadwinner. OF this amount, only six
teen dollars goes to the government. The remaining
ninety-nne dollars practically sixsevenths goes
to the enrichment of the trusts and the maintenance
of monopoly
These are the real and indeed, the only beneficial
res of the present system of high Republican tariff
The people as whole are pnched and bled in order
that few giant concerns may ga,her extortionate
tolls The common business interests of the nation
are cramped and retarded in order that few fav-
ored groups may hold easy sway.
The present tariff system ty choking down fair
and natural competition creates and fosters those
huge monopolies which crush Independent enter
prises and manipulate the markets at their will 1t
puts into the hands of few men the power to tax
the food and clothing and other necessares of some
ninetysfour million people. From chls very tariff,
which Republican administrations have established
and which the Roosevelt party would perpetuate,
there has grown N economic tyranny longer to
be endured by nation that wishes to be free.
The existing taft not only taxes the individual
consumer beyond all reason and right; It also pre-
vents the expansion of American trade and, by 70
moving the stimulus of competition, it breeds inei-
cheney among the manufacturing interests them
selves AS Governor Wilson truly declares:
IF prosperity is not checked in this country,
zoe must broad n our borders and make con-
quests Of the markets of the tCorId. And that
is one reason lChy tmericd is Interested in
breaking dozen, t0herever it is possible to break
| dolvn that dam against lohicb az the tides of
n our prosperity hare banked up, that great dam
iChich runs around all our coasts and 1ohich
call the protection tariff. toouId prefer to call
it the restrictive tariff, the tariff that holds as
back should prefer to cal II the tariff that
hens US in, the tariff that chooses as, the 5driB
that sDothers as, because the great unmatched
] energy OF America Is aeGiting for field
| greater than America its IT in which to proUc
! that Americans eau take care Of Themselves"
In their purpose to remove this artificial barrier
to business and commercial freedom, the Democrats
are not bent upon any revolutionary destructive
course They are seeking merely readjustment of
tariff schedules ito actual business needs and to the
countrys interests"