Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-26

club. New York, January 3, 1871
Il have had a lifelong conviction that
very great degree of wrong has been
done this country by the way in whcih
the policy Of protection has been APP
piled TO its affairs. I am not going ~
to general discussion OF the II cory
Of protection. because. according 10 a
very classical phrase, il is not the
DRY but condition which confronFs us,
q condition of the country. conoi-
ton OF affairs, an organization OF our
/ economic system 20 our ousin As sys-
ter which has risen out of "A ipecIA,
policy, a special set or circumstances.
"One of the peculiarities of the tariff
question is that il never seems 81 be
settled: il is constantly recurrent You
know IL is one OF the complaints o! 'ur
business men that ~ is never settled;
that congress will not let il alone; VIII
never let business live on any liked
schedule OF duties.
"If you want to take business out Of
politics. business ought voluntarily to
get out of politics The reason business
is in politics now is that ii has thrust
itself in by going upon every occasion
TO Washington and insisting upon get
ting all that il can get from congress
Politicians have not put the question OF
the tariff into politics. Business men
have put the question OF the tariff into
politics.
why has the Republican party rabbit
ually been associated with the poliyc of
high tariffs? Because the Republican
party consisted of a number of gentle
men of a practical turn of mind, who
could prove to you the economic necessi-
tn of the tarif? Not at all. but be-
cause the bills of the Republican party
we're paid by business men who wanted
a high tariff
Now. suppose we put the shoe on
the other foot, and invite the gentle
men who want business let alone to let
politics alone.
rs il the politicians who rush to the
hearings of the ways and means com
mittee when this question is going to
he touched? Not at all. It is the gem
tlemen who want the tariff schedules
arranged according to their interests
who later state 1T is just like you poll
ticians, YOU never let business alone
I am not testing; this is the true state
Of affairs. and 4 suggest little reci-
procity in letting alone
Now, having shifted the responsible
". we are going to discuss the tariff
question. We are to diseases it with
the purpose of taking the tariff ques-
ton out of politics. The only way to
settle il, is for the good o. the country
and not for the good OF anybody in par
ticular Link it with special interests,
let special interests have the chief in
terest in it-and you cannot settle ii
and take it out of politics. But once
apply the rule of general interest and
you have taken it out of politics.
The minute you make it tariff for
revenue you have taken IT out of poll
a.
stand on. am not saying that you must
do this thing offhand, without considering
all the vested interests that have been
quilt up / am now discussing the idea
YOU must hold in view when undertake
ing it.
.sThe tariff question is not now what
Il was a generation ago. 1t is not the
same question. We are not agitating
the old question. We are taking up
question. old in one sense. but which
must be dealt with under circumstances
so radically different that it is now
different question. There was a great
deal 10 be said for the policy of protec-
ton. I was going to say a generation
ago-but a generation and a half or two
generations ago the men in favor Of
it defended cit with the greatest sue
cess.
Don't you realize that the great COM
nluatlOnS OF mlOOeFu business nave uidNS
the old theory of protection absolute
antiquated? II is a preposterous theory.
II il worked I would have some respect
for IT, but Il is moribund. 1t has for
got how TO work. 1t is stih in the
joints.
Then. there is another circumstance.
This country was once in a process of
development which has peculiarly come to
an end.
DO you realize the extent of the audac-
ity of the men who created the protec-
tive system? They said. We arc going
to see to il that nothing is done for the
farmers Cwho at that time were produc-
ing the wealth of the nation). and that
everything is done for the men who
have not yet produced any wealth at all
and BY this process of favoritism and
substituting of one kind or another. direct
or indirect. we have altered the natural
plans of life in this country.
How does il happen that when inn
migrants come to this country from ag
ricultural regions they do not 90 to the
farms. but are caught in the meshes of
our cities? For the anne reason that
the boys of the pillow of our country
have ben turned away from the farms
into the factories. All the life blood of
the country is being drained from the
farms into the factories. A great many
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