Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-14
Hearst Makes Reply to Taft;
Suggests the True Policy
For the Democratic Party

way engineers III Great Britain
were less than fifteen dollars =
week, and that these so-called hieh
wages were paid to only a dozen
men who We're the star enctneors
on fast trains meeting the Atlantic
liners.
The average engineer received
less than nine dollars and a half .
week, firemen averaged less than
six dollars a week. and the average
guard, who corresponds to our con-
ductor, received six dollars and
thirty-si cents a week.
There would be a revolution in
America, and a justiflable one if
such wages as these were paid ia
our competent railway employees.
Yet with such wages working men
in free trade England are expected
TO meet cost of living as high as
or higher than ours.
No wonder there are industrial
disturbances in England and strikes
and riots and men shot down bv the
soldiery. No wonder there are DO
litical and economical discomfort
and an emigration SO great that the
steamship lines can not carry all Of
those who desire to leave England
The false statement that living in
England is cheaper than in Ameri
ca has been made so often that it is
believed by those who have not
taken the trouble to learn the facts
Living is not cheaper in England
than in America. If anything, it is
dearer. Food is much dearor i'm
England than in America. Luxuries
like fruit and many vegetables are
entirely beyond the reach of the av-
erage individual.
Rent is cheaper in England than
in many places in America, but
taxes are immeasurably greater.
raising the actual cost of rents from
so to So per cent.
Custom made clothing is cheaI%r
in England than in America. but
nowhere in the world is ready
made clothing as remarkable in cut
and quality and cheapness Is in the
United States. Shoes are better
and cheaper in the United States
than in any other place in the
world.
Travelling and transportation in
the United States are about half
what they are in England. Meats,
though high in the United States.
are higher in England, and good
part of the beef in England is i'm
ported from the United States and
Australia. Newspaper men whom
] have sent to England as resident
correspondents have often asked to
be allowed to return to the United
States on account of the higher
cost of living in England.
These are the facts, and facts
should be the basis of every argu-
ment.
Governor Wilson, like every other
good American citizen is trying to
benefit his country, but we can not
benefit our country by misleading
our countrymen.
Let all of us Democrats abandon
worn out and worthless free trads
arguments and frankly admit that \
certain amount of judicious protec-
uon is a beneficial thing for our
country and our people. Then let US
seek to apply protection discrimi-
nately to develop and maintain val
liable industries which require pro-
lection, and which through the just
and proper conduct of their bust
ness dealings with the public de-
serve protection.
Let us realize that the tariff
(eVen as unfair tariff is not the
cause of special privilege, but mere
ly symptom OF special privilege
a useful institution partly corrupt
ed by special privilege.
Special privilege has invaded our
tariff system as it has invaded Our
railway system and our public land
system, our judicial system and our
governmental system, but the rem
edy lies not in abolishing govern
ment or the proper functions OF
government, but in taking the gov
eminent out of the hands of special
privilege and placing the govern
ment and all its proper functions
more directly in the control Of the
whole people
There should, therefore. be no
governmental encouragement OF
oppressive trusts, no governmental
fostering of special privilege, either
through undue and undeserYcd pro-
lection or otherwise but surely an
important and essential function OF
an adequate and impartial govern
mont in this business age rs tho
proper encouragement and protcr-
ton of all legitimate industry and
business activity.
Let us then modify the t7n7
and purify the tariff. together win
all the acts and operations OF gov
eminent. to meet the Requirements
Of the times. but let us modify i.'
tariff IN a way which will beneaI
our own nation at least as much as
it viii benefit competing nations
Let us adopt a general policy nj
reciprocity which will compel lA'
markets of other nations to be- open
to our products whenever our mar
kcts are open to their products br,
MS repeat tho old and accepie,
Democratic declaration in favor %.
preferential duties which viii COM
pei importations to be mace 'l
American ships. which viii io.-
the American nag To the seas ar
which will revive the Amer. q.
merchant marine 10 the sfrt,'.
prosperity Of our people In time ~