Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-14
Hearst Makes Reply to Taft;
Suggests the True Policy
For the Democratic PARTY

were less tnan fifteen dOllare ,
week, and that these so-calIed bir,
wages were paid to only dozen
men who We're the star encine.,,
on fast trains meeting the AtIantf,
liners.
The average engineer received
less than nine dollars and h,1r ,
week, firemen averaged less th.o
six dollars week. and the ayers~s
guard, who corresponds to our. CON.
ductor, received six dollars and
thirtysiX cents a week.
There would be a revolution ia,
America, and a justi1able ono. If
such wages as these were paid IN
our competent railway employers
Yet with such wages working mon
in free trade England are expected
to meet cost of living as high as
or higher than ours.
No wonder there are industrial
disturbances in England and strikes
and riots and men shot down bv fine
soldiery. No wonder there are no.
litical and economical discontenf
and an emigration so great that the
steamship lines can not carry all Of
those who desire to leave England
The false statement that living in
England is cheaper than in Amer
ca has been made so often that it /,
believed by those who have not
L.,
Living is not cheaper in England
than in America. If anything, it is
dearer Food is much dearer in
England than in America. Luxuries
like fruit and many vegetables arc
entirely beyond the reach of the av-
erage individual.
Rent is cheaper in England than
in many places in America, but
taxes are immeasurably greater
raising the actual cost of rents from
80 to So per cent.
Custom made clothing is chca1>r
in England than in America. but
nowhere in the world is ready
made clothing a remarkable i'm cur
and quality and cheapness a 8 in the
United States. Shoes arc better
and cheaper in the United States
than in any other place in the
world
Travelling and transportation in
the United States are about half
what they are in England. Meats,
though high in the United States.
are higher in England, and a good
part of the beef in England is inn
ported from the United States and
Australia. Newspaper men whom
have sent to England as resident
correspondents have often asked to
be allowed to return to the United
States OH account of the higher
cost of living in England.
These are the facts, and facts
should be the basis Of every argu.
ment.
Governor Wilson, like every other
good American citizen, is trying to
benefit his country, but we can not
benefit our country by misleading
our countrymen
Let all of us Democrats abandon
worn out and worthless free trads
arguments and frankly admit that a
certain amount of judiciOus proteC-
ton is beneficial thing for our
country and our people. Then let US
seek to apply protection discrimt-
nately to develop and maintain val
liable industries which require pro-
lection, and which through the just
and proper conduct of their bust
ness dealings with the public de-
serve protection.
Let US realize that the tariff
(even as unfair tariff is not the
cause Of special privilege, but mere
ly symptom OF special privilege
useful institution partly corrupt
ed by special privilege.
Special privilege has invaded our
tariff system as it has invaded our
railway system and our public Land
system, our judicial system and our
governmental system, but the rem
edy lies not in abolishing govern.
ment or the proper functions OF
government, but in taking the gov.
eminent out of the hands of specldi
privilege and placing the govern
ment and all its proper functions
more directly in the control Of the
whole people
There should, therefore, be no
governmental encouragement "I
oppressive trusts, no government
fostering of special privilege elthel
through undue and undeserVed pro-
lection or otherwise. but surrey d,
important and essential function o.
an adequate and impartial govern.
ment in this business age rs Inc
proper cncOura cement and p''u'
tion of all legitimate industry an"
business activity. .r
Let US then modify the i5ln
and purify the tariff, togethey WIN
all the acts and operations OF gov
eminent, to meet the requlrelNeIlS
of the times. but let US modify ~,
tariff in a way which will benehl
our own nation at least as muyH d.
it viii benefit competing nations
Let us adopt a general policy W
reciprocity which will compe' 'I
markets of other nations TO b' "p'"
to our products whenever our H'N
kets are open to their products. D,
us repeat the old and acc0pSg
Democratic declaration i'm favor W.
preferential duties which viii COM
pei importations to be mace
American ships, which will ne 'o.
the American flag TO the seas go
which will revive the Ant''lar
merchant marine to the '@'f
prosperity of our people IN uWs
peace and the better proltDuo. 20