Semi-weekly herald., 1912-08-19
rec traders, as they were termed by

free traders, as they were termed by
the Republicans. The Democrats
made clean sweep and elected along
with the executive good working
majority in both houses of congress.
Many of the independent voters and
J even Republicans were perfectely
willing that the free trade policy
should be tried that this much dis
puted question should be once and
for all settled. They were willing
to give the matter fair tesa for the
purpose of finding out what was the
best policy for this country.
The famous free trade or low tar
iff bill was early introduced and
passed in congress and became a
law. Immediately began the reverse
action of the business men in all
parts of the county. Manufacturing
establishments closed down. Invest
ors quit business. Business was at
stand still. Hundreds of thousands
of laborers were forced into idleness
and Coxey's army was formed with
the avowed purpose of marching to
Washington demanding employment
or at least something to eat. That
was terrible crisis. There was
more suffering than the people of
this country had ever experienced
| before.
The Democratic policy was con-
demned from one end of the coun-
try to the other. The election of 1896
gave evidence of the universal dis
content and the willingness to go
back to high tariff. This time the
Republicans forced the tariff issue
on the Democrats who lodged the
issue by making free and unlimited
coinage of silver the chief issue
which the Republicans accepted,
along with the tariff, as the main
issue. The Republicans won great
victory and the Democratic party
went down to defeat from which it
has never recovered.
But four years ago the Republican
party on its own motion sought to
revise the tariff law. The party
could not unite upon plan satisfac-
tory to all members of the party. A
contest ensued in the party in con-
gress which in a measure divided the
Republicans on the tariff policy. The
Democrats took advantage of this di-
vision and sought to renew the free
trade policy hoping to get assistance
from a number of Republicans.
These tariff revision Republicans
are by no means free traders and can
not work with the Democratic party
on that issue, except on certain ar
ticles. Should the Democratic par
ty be successful in the coming cam
paign it will be found that the tar
iff revision Republicans can not join
them in the effort to make this coun-
try a free trade country or low
tariff country. All Republicans are
in favor of such tariff as will pro
tect infant industries and American
labor and it will be found in the end
the only consistent policy for this
country To pursue.
Other countries enforce tariff on
goods manufactured in this country
and sold in those countries. This
country is duty bound TO levy tax
on the goods shipped to this country
from those nations levying tax on
goods we ship there.
Many of the European countries
have altogether different social con-
ditions from those enjoyed in this
country. Our laboring classes are
not willing to be reduced to the con-
ditions of the foreign laborer. This
is u matter of very serious concern
as will be seen when ever this coun-
try undertakes to put the laoorer
here on par with European labor.
"he conditions in those countries are
quite different ard y would seem un-
wise for us to try to edope such
policy in this country as would COM
pei American labor to accept those
conditions forced on the laborers of
England and continental Europe.
When the voter goes into the vot-
ing place in November to decide
whether this country shall again
make an experiment in free trade
policies or shall pursue that policy
that has made the United States the
greatest nation in the world and the
American laborer the most independ-
ent of all classes who toll. We are
willing to admit that this is a time
of unrest and just such a time as
will invite the young voters and the
independent class to take such steps
as they may later regret. 1t might
be well to think seriously before tax
ing the final step if you are inclined
to support free trade policy for
this country which is naturally a