Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-28

next March to change the tafiiL lioAi
a protective to revenue basis.
| Wholly apart from the respective
merits of the protective and the tart
for revenue policies, it must be obvious
to thinking man that SO radical
| change cannot be effected without Il
period of readjustment. the wiping OUT
| of numerous industries which prosper
| because they are protected and Wnlch
! pay good wages to thousands OF EN-
| s,lovees. Even were il admitted-and
| do not admit-that ultimately this
/ Reimbursement would be successful and
] that our present protected and pros,
| porous industries could be replaced
| bv others which would thrive without
| protection. what of the transition Pc
| Rod? How would fare the wage earn
| or who was thrown out of employment
for year or more. and who in many
| instances would be compelled to learn
| a new trade?
1t is true that most of our wage
earners have for some time been MAX
ing good wages. but many Of them
suffered in the panic of 1907. and l
doubt if more than a comparatively
few could undergo period of year
enforced idleness without great hard
ship. even actual distress. And year
would prove hardly sufficient for so
radical a reimbursement as would ineVl-
fably result from such a change
AS protectionist. | can see no ben
eft to be gained from such change
even when the REIMBURSEMENT is com
pleted. For sixty years. under the
protective policy, our industries nave
crown at a pace which has astounu-
cd the world. Our wage earners nave
established and maintained a standard
of living which is unknown in the ola
World Even during the period OF
nigh cost of living, which has prevail
cd throughout the civilized worid Tor d
few years, our people have suffered no
such hardships as those of the oia
World. notably free trade Enslahu'
where not only has the cost OF 1000
stuffs been extraordinarily high, pe'
where the wages of the working feo-
nle have by no means kept pace WIN
the increased cost of living
The abundant crops of this year are
already operating to decrease the cosl
of living to the American worklhgnlhi',
while there is every indication ina
wages will be maintained. On ihe
other hand, our factories are runhihs
fnu time. there are abundant orders
ahead wages are high. and 1t is Ia
hor. not employment, of which there Is
a scarcity. With plenty oil eHipios
ment at good wages. and the prices Oh
foodstuffs falling iii some instances, IN
others about to fall. the wage GARNER
is inst on the eve of garnerlng ms hal
vest and if the existing conditions are
NOT changed by political upheaNal we
win see the balance in the savings
hanks grow in the next four years DO
never before.
We have experimental in the post
with the tariff theories of our Demo
cratic friends. You will recall as
clearly as I do the distress Wmen lol-
lowed the passage of the Wilson piii'
Is there not certai in slgnlncahce III
the fact that it is another wilson Wno
would again subject us TO such an eN-
pertinent? Wilson and prosperity
words that refuse to go together
our American history
You recall the report of Mayor I'm
rov on conditions in New York, Wheh |
he and his Democratic administrator
conducted an investigation INTO the
hardships and suffering Which pr |
walled in 1891, and found that ieo,oou
persons were dependent on charies,
hecause s.. 900 men and nearly loio'o
nonen who under normal CONDITIONS
experieneed no difficulty in securing
emp,ovment were cut of work. LOU
can recall the days when. as the result
of inst such tariff reimbursement as
orr Democratic friends now PROPOSE
there were soup kitchens IN every
large city. when able bodied men were
compelled to beg from door to door,
while women and their little children
.iied of starvation or were stuntea III
their development from the priVatioh
thew were compelled to undergo.
The election of Democratic fresi-
dent would mean the election Oh
democratic Senate and House, ana the
present Congress has proved how say
aqelv and with what recklessness tile
nemocrats would deal with the tarht
IL they were in full control of the exc
entive and the legislative branches OF
how any American voter can ran to
COO that by throwing away his vote on
the third party, or by voting To put
tho democrats in power in the Whlte
House and in Congress, he Is as sure
w counting disaster as is the sHiaii
child rJaying with matches. And So
Mr. Wanamaker. far above any per
sonal consideration, l am grateful 10
Won and to all who, like you, are help-
ing the Republican cause TINS year.