Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-24

can Ee treated III ire same WAY. col
ton or wooden cloth or garments of any
kind can De at once put on the free
list. Cutlery, watches, shevels, files,
automobiles, any manufactured article
or any product Of farm, forest or fac
tory, can at once be placed on the free
list This is the prospect of free trade
or worse than free trade that the
workers must and do face.
This threatened injury would be bad
enough at any period 1t is doubly dan
gerous now. For at this time COMPETE
tion from the advanced nations of Eu-
rope for the American markets is be-
coming keener every year. And an even
greater danger TO our industrial welfare
is looming up. The great awakening OF
the Japanese and Chinese peoples, ac-
eustomed to the cheapest living. = Is
bound to bring most serious additional
competition from Asia.
Under the encouragement of our pro-
tective tariff we have obtained a great
industrial development and progress.
orr standard of living has been raised
and kept high, and we have become
happy, prosperous and superior people.
Under the able administration of Presi-
dent Taft We have emerged from con-
dition of panic and depression, and have
come into a period of remarkable pros
perity. Is 1t any wonder that our people
are UNEASY at any danger of losing this
advantageous situation? Is it any WON
der that more than ever before they feel
the need of carefully guarding the pro-
tective duties2 Only in this way can
they hope to maintain their present
strong position against the aggressive
skill of Europeans and the almost bar
barous cheapness and low living condi-
tons of Asiatics.
Tearing Down Duties in the Dark.
In the face of this situation any man
can see how ruinous it would be to re-
duce or wipe out duties without adequate
information of the business situation to
be affected thereby. This information
involves a study of the competition from
all over the world President Taft has
been the first to establish nom partisan
commission to get adequate informa-
ton about production and trade as
guide for tariff revision. This is the
business-like way in which to handle this
business question, and the common seHse
of our people recognizes that it is the
only fair and just way.
Yet your party. through control of the
House of Representatives. has cut short
the work of the Tariff Board by denying
the necessary appropriations. Your
party will not permit the collection of the
information without which changes of
tariff rates must be made in ignorance
of their effect. Your party III the House
of Representatives would not permit the
Board established by President Taft to
continue, and would not themselves pro-
vide for or establish any sort of COM
mission or body of men, even of their
own selection, to investigate and report,
either to the President or to the House
of Representatives the facts and figures
of the industrial affairs affected by the
tariff bills they were RAPIDLY and heed
lessly passing. They set their faces
firmly against the receipt of intelligence.
They would not heed the facts presented
by the Tariff Board established by Presi-
dent Taft nor would they make any at
tempt to get to the facts themselves.
Soothing the People.
In your public declarations yous are
seeking to assure the business men and
workers in all fields of industry that
they should have no fear that the tariff
duties would be lowered too abruptly or
too much if you or your party should be
successful at the coming election. And
vet YOU know very well that if elected
YOU are in honor bound to use all the in
fluence of the Presidential office to Sc
cure the destructive tariff legislation
officially endorsed by your party. Prac
tically ell the advocates of your cause
ioln in the effort to lnll the pe9pie into
a feeling OF security in the face of your
candidacy and the record Of %auR party.
Ii would be harsh to eafl this c3ost a
conspiracy against the confidence Of the
people. Yet this policy is trifliag with
the people in dangerous way,
There is a strong public demand that
this trifiing should now eeasp. The ueo-
ple know that tile tariff Fundamentally
uuderlies business success and progress
all over the country. They want to know
clearly and definitely just whore you
stand in this critical matter and how YOU
propose to deal with it. They have a
fight 10 know this. Their living depends
on it, IL you can not or viii not speak
plainly. you must be plainly told that
vague and smooth generalites will not
satisfy the public. The gentle softness
of Well-pO1Sed, academic idHSudSe means
nothing and excites suspicion The tariff
is business question and it is action
upon it that counts for good or evil.
Fortunately for the country the Demo-
cratic party in the House of Representa-
tives could not get their will enacted in
TO law. What saved the Industries of
the American people from the destruc-
ton threatened by the Democratic bills?
Simply and solely the courage and clear
headed good sense of President Taft,
backed up by a Republican Senate.
President Taft did his utmost to induce
his partisansopponents to pass fair bills.
He asked them to wait for and examine
the facts collected by the commission
he had set to work. He labored and
builded patiently for the prosperity of
the country, and he would not permit
that prosperity to be wrecked by the
faults and blunders of the Democratic
party as long as he could prevent it.
He considered il his duty to prevent Ii,
and did it manfully For this he has not
had all the consideration that is his due.
He has really not vet had a SQQuare deal