The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-08-09

moment about the policy Of protecfI6n
conceived and carried out as a disin-
terested statesman might conceive Il
Our own clear conviction as Demo.
Gratis IL that In the last analysis the
only safe and legitimate object Of tariff
duties. as II taxes Of every other kind.
Ia to raise revenue for the support Of
the government. But that II not my
present point. We denounce the Payne.
Aldrlch tariff act as the most conspicu.
Gus example ever Afforded the country
Of the special favors and monopOlistic
advantages which the leaders Of the
Republican party have so often shown
themselves willing to extend to those
to whom they looked for campaign con.
tributions. Tariff duties, as they have
employed them. have not been means
VI setting up an equitable system OF
protection. They have been, Oh the
contrary, Il method Of fostering special
privilege. They have made 1t easy to
establish monopoly In our domestic
markets. Trusts have owed their orr
GIN and their secure power to them.
No sudden Disturbance.
We do not ignore the fact that the
business of country like ours is ex-
ceedingly sensitive TO changes In legis.
lation of this kind. 1t has been built
up. however III advisedly. upon tariff
schedules written In the way have
indicated. and It's foundation must
not he too radically or too suddenly
disturbed. When VIC act we should act
with caution and prudence, like men
who know what they are about and
not like those In love with n theory.
1t IL obvious that the changes we
make should be made only at such a
| rate and In such way as will least
| interfere with the normal and health.
| ful course Of commerce and manufac.
| ture. But we shall not on that ac.
count act with timidity. as II we did
not know our own minds, for we are
certain OF our ground and Of our OBJ
| ject. There should be an immediate
revision, and II should be downward
unhesitntingly and steadily downward.
1t should begin with the schedules
which have been most obviously used
tc kill competition and to raise prices
In the United States. arbitrarily and
without regard to the prices pertain
ing elsewhere In the markets OF the
world. and 1t should. before It Is fin
lshed or intermitted, be extended to
every item In every schedule which
| affords any opportunity for monopoly
for special advantage to limited
groups OF beneficiaries or for subsidz
| ed control of any kind In the markets
or the enterprises Of the country unit
special favors Of every sort shall have
been absolutely withdrawn and every
part Of our laws OF taxation shall have
been transformed from a system o.
governmental patronage into a system
of lust and reasonable charges which
shall fall where they will create tn,
least burden.
Tariff Dsmoralizss Politics.
There -has-been no. more demoraliz
Ing influence In our politics In on
time than the influence OF tariff legis
lntion. the influence Of the idea tha
the government was the grand dis
penser Of favOrs. the maker and un
maker Of fortunes. and of OppOrtunl
ties such as certain men have sOugh
In order to control the movement o.
trade and industry throughout TIN
continent. It has made the govern
ment prize to be captured and par
ties the means Of effecting the capture
II has made the business men OF ont
of the most virlle and enterprising mn
tions In the world tlmid, fretful, ful
Of alarms: has robbed them of sci
confidence and manly force until the!
have cried out that they could d.
nothing without the assistance Of th'
government at Washington. 1t ha
made them feel that their lives de
pended upon the ways and mean
committee Of the house and the finance
committee of the senate Gin these late
years particularly the finance commit
tee OF the senate). They have insist
ed very anxiously that these commit
tees should be made up only Of thei
friends" until the country In its turl
grew suspicious and wondered how
those committees were being guide'
and controlled. by what Influences an,
plans Of personal advantage. Govern
ment cannot be wholesomely conduct
ed In such an atmosphere. Its YER.
honesty Is in jeopardy.
For what has the result been
Prosperity? Yes. II by prosperity yo'
mean vast wealth. no matter how dis
tributed, or whether distributed at all
or not; IL you mean vast enterprise
built up to be presently concentrated
under the control of cOmparativel!
small bodies Of men, who can deter
mine almost at pleasure whether ther
shall be competition or not The natiOl
as nation has grown Immensely rich
But what of the other side Of the pic
ture? 1t Is not as easy for us to liy,
as 1t used to be. Our money will no
buy as much. High wages. eveI
when we can get them. yield us III
great comfort.
Tariff Causes High Prices.
, MOreOvor we hopin IN nercoive som