Evening journal., 1913-05-03
SATURDAY. MAY, 3. 1913.
WILSON'S TARIFF FALLACIEs.

NlLSONS IAhlff fALLAClES.
has become an absolute fact that the more Presi-
dent Wilson talks about labor and protection
the more ridiculous does he make himself in the esti-
nation OF intelligent people. That he cannot any
longer fool practical working has become ap-
parent Daily he abors to bury the past far what
he has written and said both on protection and on the
American working
Last Fan President Wilson. in a speech made this
remarkable statement:
Il tell you this that American labor up to date is
the cheapest in the world / can prove it, American
manufacturers compete in foreign markets in the sale
Of goods manufactured in those markets, near those
markets by labor that receives only one-third the re-
muneration OF American labor. Now, what does that
mean? Il they afford to pay American
Oorkingmen three times much and stia undersell
competitors in the foreign markets; and yet the
American workngman is told that the amount Of his
wages depends upon tho protective tariff. II doesn't
Il depends upon him. II depends upon what is inside
OF his thinking box"
Tn foregoing is what President Wilson said as
Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United
States But he wrote differently few years ago when.
after years Of study he completed his "A History of
the American People In that work. his best in vol.
s. page PCS. in describing conditions 1s9S-97 when
the tarin had been reduced "unhesitatngy and stead
y downward" he wrote. "A great poverty had come
upon the agricultural regions Of the West
and south. Prices had fallen. Men Of the poorest
sort we're idle everywhere and filled with sort of
despai,. All the large manufacturing towns teemed
with unemployed workingmen who were with the ut
most dificulty kept from starvation"
Woodrow Wilson knew he was telling the truth
when he wrote the foregoing opinion in his history
He was not a candidate then; he was writing with
the hope that his book would live long after he was
dead and that the best thinkers and best economists
in the world would IT, So that we can safely set
II down as fact that Woodrow Wilson was telling
he wrO md that ho
merely talking when political candidate But it is
important for the workers Of the United States
to note the fact that the last time we had low
tarn, tariff near free trade as the Democrats
could get IT, there was fearful condition OF unem-
ployment and starvation throughout the country
There is disagreement on this fact whatever even
President Wilson admits this to be true In view OF
this fact is there not the very strongest kind Of rea
son to believe that If the Democrats and Wilson per-
sst in carrying out their tariff policy that similar
condition OF things will return? Certainly there is
and there ia not scintilla Of evidence to show that
such conditions will return If our protection policy
is abandoned Every argument used by President
Wilson and his followers was used in the advoeacv
OF the disastrous Wilson tariff law The results of
the Wilson tariff terrible and every person en-
gagged in the industries our country at that time
knew it too we'll Just as we live similar
results will follow in the event Of the program OF
Woodrow Wilson being carried effect through the
Underwood bill
President Wilson said what is true when he said
that American labor is the cheapest" in the world
There is ample for this and the reason is either
overlooked withheld by the Democratic President
The American working man lives under much higher
standard of living than do his foreign competitors
This high standard of living makes better man OF
him in every respect, despite the statement of VII
son that the Chinese. with their low standard are SUI
peror TO the American workmen It has been preach
ed as a fact by English statesmen for years that
American dear labor is the greatest foe of the cheap
labor CO Europe. This is certainly one of the most i'm
portant and powerful arguments against the sophstrv
Of President Wilson What he breaches now means
degeneration the part of the American wortmen
to the standard of the labor Of Europe Is there a
single workman in the United States who desires 10
make change of this Eind'
The most damnabe doctrine so far as labor is con.
cerned is that preached by President Wilson relative
to competition He wants to have the American wage
worker compete against every other wage worker
in the world; he competition to run free and
wild just do the wild beasts Of the forest which
for every tc do all that can to crush tn,
others off the earth. 10 XIII them by abject star
walton This IS the meaning OF the Wilson doctrin
OF competition without any possible doubt whatever
This doctrine has been tried In the past for genera
tons and resulted IN the fearful conditions 10
labor that the industrial history OF the world ha
known. 10 g. tho doctrine OF the dreamy theorlst VII
has not the remotost idea OF the practical AFFAIRS O
life and wiso estimates hunan beings who work 70
wages Just scientists estimate the movements q
the lower animals iiia offsets IN the heavens
In truth. n s shs doctrine Of dog eat dog. was