The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-06-16
MONDAY, JUNE 10 1918.
A STAND PAT FALLAcY.

The. Forum has called attention be-
1ore to the act that the rabtd partisan
paper Is rapidly being shuffled into the
discard. There was a time when, to
he perfectly frank, some OF the papers
of this nation appeared to be able to
do what Lincoln said could not be
done. and apparently fooled all the
people all the time. But that day Is
passing. The people are becoming de-
fcidediy "wised up" and the paper, the
politician or the individual that has
fact forced upon him sooner or later,
perhaps in a very painful manner.
The partisan editor can often work
a. very plausible and apparently truth
lful and logical argument to seemingly
kprove his side of the case. To cite q
case in point: "A North Dakota paper
recently set out to attempt to prove
ito it's readers that the proposed pro-
fvision in the democratic tariff bill
which puts wheat, flour and livestock
ION the free list is a discrimination
fRgainst the farmer, and would be worse
Ethan the proposed Canadian ~recipro-
Fcity pact.
The paper made the following state
:ment: 1.-THE position taken by Presi-
dent Wilson and insisted upon by him
over all protests, is infinitely worse for
the farmers than the plan canadian
reciprocity, proposed by President
Taft" The paper then went on to ex-
Eplain why it was worse by stating
fthat Taft had planned for concessions
from Canada in return for the free
shipment Of agricultural products into
this country, while the democrats are
eplanning to put farm products on the
free list without any return cornpen
sation to the farmer.
This sort of argument might have
been accepted in the days when most
'people let the editors do their think
ing for them, but The Forum believes
that the farmers and other residents
OF the state are too we'll informed to
be caught by my such fallacy.
1t is just this sort Of argument.
however, swallowed whole" in the
past, that has kept the United States
for so long under the heel of the trusts
that have been bleeding the public un-
der the protection of high tariff.
Insist on a tariff on cotton and
sugar" has been the advice to the
south. Insist on a tariff on wool
EwheatShides. etc." has been the advice
TO the western farmer. insist on a
duty IN fruit, on small farm produce.
tetc." was the cry to another section.
always 1t was the appeal to sectional
feeling, and, trading this section
against that section. the high tariff
wall has been maintained,
AS a matter Of fact, the farmer will
receive compensation. If the demo-
cratic tariff bill goes through, as it ts
cow planned, wool will be admitted
EiRte this country free, and the cheaper
Egradas OF weeien clothing, absolutely
Barred from the country now by the
TARIFF wall will be admitted free and
the farmer and the laboring man viii
benefit. Sugar, steel and all other
EBFeaHets Will be admitted free or with
pa nominal duty and the entire list Of
manufactured goods will be lowered in
fBFise. The farmer Will be c~ornpensat-
tea; far mere than he would have been
EGl6eF the reciprocity act, for under
EfRat act, while it would have opened
fFffg American markets to the chief
IEeHaetiteT sf the American farmer.
has condemnation weuid have been
EeRlehF to the manufacturing centers
SaRa ths cities.
whether the e~eEapensation that the
farmer Viii receive by getting all the
Eg8oods he buys In the enen market of
Efth1e #9Faa, Will Be adequate to make up
St8 him aaRsss Bessiale loss, by having to
Egii III tag eRaR market Of the world,
pFhs #6FaR dagH net pretend to say.
IgaFaas #8sr'Em sincerely hopes SO, howev-
ssE, Far faat ID eEaetiy what is going to
shappen and 1t is going to happen be-
cause the people OF this country be-
f3ieye that the time has come in the
commercial development Of this ma.
ftion, when the American market
should be opened up 20 world compe-
tition.