The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-10-03
Ct. HOWfRTON ON
PROTECTIVE TARIFF
Makes Some Suggestions for Tariff
Reforms In Letter Addressed
10 President.
Woodrow Wilson, Human Being,
White House, Washington, D. C.
naar Cir.

White House, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Your friends are looking on
with great interest and admiration while
you "steer the ship of state" While
I'll admire all do not approve all the
provisions of the Tariff Bill. Many
think free sugar" an industrial and
political mistake. If it puts cheaper
sugar in our coffee and cheaper candy
in the children S mouths others will ap-
prove. But | tell you Mr.. Wilson, the
American people are firmly welded to
the idea of protection to legitimate
industries" and it will take time to
cure them. For the first rs years of
our National history the South had pro-
lection, and grew SO rich it was the en-
Wy of the rest of US, and since that
time the North has had the principal
benefit of the protective tariff" and
she has grown rich while We of the
South have borrowed her money at
high rates of interest, and voted against
protection.
All agree now that governmental
protection to slavery was wrong, and
an industrial and moral injury to the
South. Maybe it was, but it brought
wealth to the protected class" and
they wanted it continued.
Many wise men believe that the pro
lection" extended to certain banks of
the U. S. is unwise, but if you dare to
revise it downward the "fnanciers"
who get the benefit of it protest man
fully. Who can blame them?
The government is helping them to
make money and to make life easy to
them, and of course they want it con-
tinued.
There is another protected interest"
Mr.. Wilson, which came into being
while Uncle Sam was making his fight
on the protection he had legally grant
cd the slave holders-a protected in
terest'' which effects all society and all
law, and reaches into every community
of the United States. | refer to the
distillers and brewers. They send out
the most highly protected product of
commerce today. Like all other forms
of protection the governments grants,
this interest is enriched while those
who work for it are impoverished. Few
saloon keepers own anything Most of
this business is owned and operated by
the protected head. -
Quite few of your friends, Mr.. Will
son, are anxious to know how you and
Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Underwood and
other humanitarians who are looking
to the betterment of society by the
anpulment of protection look on the
Shighly protected liquor traffic.
Many of the states have tried TO prohib-
it this traffic, but have met the stub
born fact that Uncle Sam protects
it. How would it do to remove the
protective" duty which Uncle Sam
levies on all distilled liquors in the form
of internal revenue" (but which some
people think should be called internal
revenue") and allow the States a free
hand in the management of this traffic,
so far as the law can effect it? Al
soon as this tariff bill and currency bill
are out of the way. suppose you call to-
gether several of the leaders and TAKE
up this matter Here is a case of pro
lection" which has escaped the re
] visors' too long already. Many Of
your friends would be delighted Il
/ learn that you had undertaken the re
vision of internal revenues, war meas
ures which have outlived their useful
= ness, and been perverted into protect
i've measures.