Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-22
Credits Nations Prosper
ity to Protective Policy.
Cannot See How Some People
Fail 10 Appreciate Facts.
Thanks John Wannamaker Heartily
For His Splendid Work.

in his own behalf and on behalf of
the people of the nation for the
Splendid work" he has done. The
Presidents letter dealt most exclusive
ly with the tariff and prosperity, which
he declared was largely due to pro-
lection.
There are certain facts which
stand out so prominently in this cam
paign that l cannot conceive how a
majority of our voters can fail to
apprehend them" said the President.
They are that a vote east for the
third party is a vote cast for the
Democratic ticket and that vote cast
for the Democratic ticket is vote east
for economic experimentation which,
under the most favorable circum-
stances, would mean lack of business
condolences, the calling of loans, 4
stringency Of the money market. the
suspension of manufacturing the de
struction of the market for farm pro-
ducts because the people had no mon
ey to buy, and untold suffering for the
wage Garner and his family"
The letter says further:
"Iswant to thank you for the splen-
did work you are doing for the sue
cess of the Republican party in the
approaching election. ! thank YOU not
for myself alone but for the people at
large. who have so much to lose, SO
little to gain, from a change of adj
ministration, who will indeed suffer If
Democratic President and a Demo-
cratic Congress secure the opportunity
to make good their platform pledges.
s.ff
called. next March. to change the tar
if from a protective to a revenue ba-
sis.
Wholly apart from the respective mer-
its of the protective and the tariff Tor rev.
enue policies. it must be obvious TO think
ing men that so radical change cannot
be effected without period OF readjust-
ment, the wiplng out OF numerous indus
tries which prosper because they are pro-
tected and which pay good wages 10 thou
sands OF employees. Even we're it admitted
and | do not admit-that ultimately this
REIMBURSEMENT you'd be successful ard that
our present protected and prosperous in
dustries could be replaced by others which
would thrive without protection, what OF
the transition period2 How would fare
| the wage Garner who was thrown out OF
employment for a year or more. and who
in many instances. would be compelled &c
learn a new trade2H
1T is true that most of our wage earn
ers have for some time been making good
wages, but many OF them suffered in the
panic OF 1907. and | doubt if more than
a comparatively few could undergo Pc
Rod of a years enforced idleness without
| III, nd
year would prove hardly sufficient for so
radical readiustmeut as would inevitably
result from such q change.
As protectionist. l can see no benefit
to be gained from such a change. even
when the readiustment is completed. For
50 years, under the protective policy, our
Industries have grown at pace which has
astounded the world. Our wage earners have
established and maintained "a standard Of
living which il unknown in the old world.
Even during the period of high cost of liv-
ing which has prevailed throughout the
civilized world, for lew years, our peo-
pie have suffered no such hardships those
of the old world, notably free trade Eng
land, where not only has the cost OF food
stuns been extraordinarily high, but where
the wages of the working people have by no
means kept pace with the increased cost
of living.
"The abundant crops of this year
are already operating to decrease the
cost of living to the American work
ineman, while there is every indication
that wages viii be maintained. On the
other hand. our factories are running
full time, there are abundant orders
ahead wages are high. and ii is la
Dor not employment, of which there
is q scarcity. With plenty of employ
ment at good wages, and the prices OF
foodstuffs falling in some instances, In
others about to fall, the wage Garner
is Just on the eve of garnering his
harvest. and if the existing conditions
are not changed bY a political up
heavaI, we viii see the balances in the
savings banks grow in the next four
years as never before.
We have experimental in the past
with the tariff theories of our Demo-
cratic friends. You will recall as clear
ly as I do the distress which followed
the passage of the Wilson bill. Is there
not a certain significance in the fact
that II is another Wilson who would
again subject MS to such an expert
ment2 Wilson and prosperity are
words that refuse to go together in out
American history. -
'You recall the report of Mayor Gill
ROY ON conditions in New York when
he and his Democratic administrators
conducted an Investigation INTO tbs
hardship aud suffering which prevail
ed i'm 1891, and found that lS2,Voo per-
sons were dependent on charity. be-
,ause L. 600 men and nearly lj,000 Wo-
men who under normal conditions
eyperlerced no difficulty in securing
emnioyment, were out of work You
can recall the days when, as the result
of Just such tariff REIMBURSEMENT as
or Democratic friends now propose
there were soup kitchens in every large
city. when able bodied men were com
PEELED to beg from door to door while
women and their little children died
of starvation or were stunted in then
development from the privation they
were compelled to undergo.
1.-THE election of a Democratic Pres
ident would mean the election o. Z
Democratic Senate and House. and tbs
present Congress has proved how
savagely and with what recklessness
L I h.