The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-03-14
WILSON'S POSITION
ON TARIFF ISSUE
The Worst Feature of Protection,
He Says, Is Decentralization
of Our Political Ideas.
SCHEDULES MUST BE REVISED
System at tho Heart Of Every Other
Economic Question We Have to
Deal With, Says Governor Of
New Jersey.
Atlanta (Ga.) journal.

Rtlanta (Ga.) JOuInaI.
Tho dominant issue of the approach
ing presidential campaign will be tho
tariff.
There Is certainly no other question
that reaches so far or strikes so deep
ly into the nations common interests.
At the very root Of many, II not
most, Of the political evils that now
beset the country, lies the outworn
system Of protective tariff which the
Republican party brought forth and
which 1t persists In maintaining.
The trust problem itself Is but ono
aspect OF the tariff question. Certain
It Is that monopolies and combinations
in restraint Of trade will be vastly.
more difficult to form and maintain
when the artificial tarin wall that now
protects them 10 removed. They would
still require a measure Of regulation.
but under present conditions We md
the government prosecuting them with
one hand and patroniztng them with
the other. The Sherman antitrust act
10 we'll enough IN its particular sphere,
but no matter how vigorously 1t may
be applied. 1t can never within itself
undo the effects Of tariff system that
puts ban on competition and builds
q hot house for groups Of particular
interests. This is the policy that on
ables American trusts to charge tho
people OF this country more for their
products than they charge their Gus
~ t. MI Se ~
and the source Of nearly all the evils
which We classify under the term.
special privilege" 1t is just at this
point that corrupt business and cor.
rupt politics join hands.
It is a noteworthy circumstance that
Governor Woodrow Wilson. as a can
didate for the presidential nomination,
is particularly clear-headed and Wig
orous exponent OF the doctrine Of tar
III for revenue only. In recent ad-
dress before the National Democratic
club In New York, Governor Wilson
declared:
1.-THE worst feature Of protection Is
the decentralization of our political
ideas. We have based government
upon patronage and privilege instead
OF Justice and equality. That's the
cancer that eats at the hearts Of all.
1t is likely that for an indefinite pc
Rod We shall have to pay our national
bills by duties collected at the ports.
Though l am not for drastic changes,
I wish l saw some ultimate escape
from It. At present do not. There
fore, what we have to ask ourselves
is not the principle upon which we are
to act for that Is plain. We are to
act upon the fundamental principle Of
the Democratic party, not free trade,
but tarif1 for revenue, and we have
got to approach that by such avenues,
by such stages and at such pace as
will be consistent with the stability
and safety of the business of the
country"
There is here set forth a thoroughly
consistent and at the same time we'll
poised course Of action for the party
to pursue. A system that has been de-
veloped through generations and that
involves tho country's business equili-
brium cannot be struck to pieces at q
single blow. But it should be dealt
with none the less positively, and
there should always be held in view
tho ultimate principle of tariff for reve-
nue. only
Governor Wilson has said again in
an interview with the New York
World:
"The tariff question is at the heart
Of every other economic question We
have to deal with and until we have
adjusted that properly we can settle
nothing in q way that will be satisfac-
tory and lasting. The tarifr is the ono
central issue of the coming CAM
paign."
The Journal has previously COM
mended Governor Wilson to the peo-
pie Of Georgia and the south on the
ground that he is a Democrat Of south
ern birth who represents the keenest
sympathies and the best traditions of
this section and who furthermore by
virtue Of his luminous record and his
splendid ability Is the party's most ad-
visable candidate for the presidency.
To that We may now add that he is,
and has long been. a foremost advo-
cate OF tho ono basic doctrine Of
southern Democracy-the doctrine Of
tariff for revenue, instead Of for pro-
lection and patronage. Surely domi-
nant issue and q presidential candi-
date were never more thoroughly mat
ed.
HE IS WITH US.
montgomery (Ala.) Times)