The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-13
ATTACKS THE TARIFF
Governor Harmon Makes an Old Fash
toned Democratic Speech.

East st. Louis, ILL.,. Jan 13.-G over
nor Judson Harmon, of Ohio. in an
address before the st. Clair County
Democratic club here attacked the fin
ancial poll les of the recent Republi-
can administration. He compared the
administration of President Andrew
Jackson which he declared was for
the good of all people, to that OF the
present, which he said was in effect
farming out the taxing power. one OF
the Creates abuses known to history"
Governor Harmon pleaded for public
business to be managed with the same
principles and with the same care and
ability that citizens devote to their pri-
vate business.
Jackson urged a gradual reduction
of tariff taxes said the governor. "es-
pecially on necessarics, at n time when
they were levied mainly for revenue.
When recently we saw a president led
against his just inclination, to sign and
praise a tariff bill which broke his
own and his party's promise Of reform
and then in the face of his express
admissions, veto bills for reductions
passed by congress under direct com
nand OF the voters of the entire cOun-
try. men everywhere exclaimed. as they
did in the days Of the vacillating Blu
chanan. oh, for enc hour of Andrew
Jackson "
The governor attacked the financial
policy CT the three last Republican
administrations as having increased the
federal outlay from one billion dollars
every two years to more than billion
dollars each year. He devoted most
attention. however, to what he describ-
ed as "one OF the worst abuses known
in history Arranging tariff taxes 10
as to enable favored manufacturers to
collect from the public a much larger
sum than one billion dollars for their
own benefit.
Collects Three for One.
According to reliable estimates" he
said. for every dollar the government
rnCpfUnz on articles frnrnrfod he
ored manufacturer collects three dollars
above the normal of prices of like ar
tfcles for American consumers. This -
in effect farming out the taxing power.
Now we find the business of the en-
tire country distributed and hating be
cause this wretched system of favor
taxes has brought it's certain result
Unnatural competition was stimulated
by these and then suppressed by the
formation of trusts and combinations
in order that dividends might not cease
on stock which was the capitalization
Of this special advantage. Instead OF
cutting of the source by reforming the
tariff. IL was sought to control the
stream by forbidding these trusts and
combinations
TT is significant that the Sherman
ANTITRUST law and the Mckinley tarifr
law were under consideration at the
same time and passed at the same ses-
sion That tariff law went far beyond
earlier laws in the bestowa1 Of special
favors. There was plain warning of it's
evil effect and the leaders did not dars
face the country on il without a law
to prevent sitting the competition from
which great benefits were promised to
the people.
The first step surely must be to re-
deem the tariff from it's perverted use
and restore It to its proper place as 4
revenue measure. by gradual reductions
so that all concerned may have time to
prepare for the change. With the chief
cause of the trouble thus removed,
believe We shall make our way safely
back to normal conditions"