Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-29
MR.. TAFT ISSUES PLEA
IN FAVOR-OF HIGH TARIFF
Knocks Cleveland Administra-
ton and CommendS Himself
Very Highly to the People
CBy Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON. Oct 2S.-President
Taft today made public a statement in
which he declared that the -four years
Of depression which followed the cleo
ton OF President Cleveland" were due
to the promise of tariff reform and the
Democratic changes in the tariff that
followed The president said that the
issue before the voters is clear:
on the one hand prosperity and real
progress; on the other. leap In the
dark
The Americana people" he continued.
''have more than once surprised those
whc thought the people were being suo-
cessfuIly fooleds and believe that a
similar surprise, awaits our opponents
on the coming 5tn Of November.
an view of errpaeouss statements re-
garding the causes OF the four years Of
depression which followed the second
election Of President Cleveland, 1t may
be well to recall the facts.
in hrs formal letter of acceptance.
Sept 26, 1892 Mr.. Cleveland emphasized
the need OF tariff reform is still our
purpose he said.
on TIE TARIFF.
Though, we oppose the theory that
tariff laws may be passed having for
their object the granting OF discriminat-
Ing ana UNFAIR kONElnMiEAAAaA dAu " RAA-
vate ventures, we wage no exterminat-
ing against American interests This
has a familiar sound today. save that
instead OF tariff reform, the Demo-
cratic slogan now is a tariff for revenue
only According 10 the Baltimore
platform. the tariff is not merely to be
reformed but the principle OF protecting
American industry is to be excised, root
and branch. on That platform Governor
Wilson STANDS.
CLEVELAND's SECOND TERM.
To 60 back to Mr.. Cleveland's second
term, the proof from his own writings
and utterances is that he was elected on
the issue OF tariff reform. 1t is also a
fact OF history that Immediately upon
his election capital and industry took
alarm enterprise became paralyzed and
business disorganized. The somewhat
puerile argument has been advanced that
these deplorable conditions could not
have been due to impending tariff re-
form because they were nearly two years
before the enactment OF the Wilson tarin
bill
1T should be unnecessary to say that
when there are signs of a cyclone the
rational man does not wait for the storm
TO hit his house before getting into the
cyclone cellar.
1.-THE Wilson bin was in sight above
the horizon on the morning after the NO
vember election of 1892, and capital and
industry began their start for the cellar.
just as, fear. they will take to shelter
again. should the Baltimore platform of
tariff for revenue only be approved by
the. American people on Nov. ?.
Mr.. Cleveland was undoubtedly sin
cere I'm his belief that the alarming and
extraordinary business situation as he
called it in his special message of Aug.
8 1883. was due to the Sherman silver
purchasing act, but the fact remains
that after the act had been repealed Nov
/, 1883, the business situation became
more and more alarming. and American
energy and enterprise were Frustrated
throughout Mr.. Cleveland's terms. being
viviied again with the election Of Nc
Kinley and the consequent assurance that
the tariff reform experiment would soon
give way 10 protection"