The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-02-07
that THIEVING TARIFF.
PROTECTION HAS DONE EORE TO
WARP MORAL NATURE OF COUNTRY
THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Clearly the Vice President-eleet Is
right, The fallacy OF protectionlsm
has done more to warp the moral ma
ture of the country than all other
agencies combined. 1t has taught men
to look to the Government instead OF
relying upon themselves. 1t has OPEN
cd the door to dishonest opportunism
and raised the means and shown the
way to obtain corrupt advantage. II
has depleted the fruits of labor and
wasted the returns of industry, levy
ing tribute upon the many to enrich
the few.
To take money from one mans
pocket and give II to another man ID
none the less robbery because 1t Is
called Protection and is done under
the forms of law.
Term after term the party of Pro
lection bought the Presidency right
out of hand and before the eyes OF the
people. When blocks of five would
not suffice, they made 1t blocks OF ten
and twenty, frying the fat out OF
manufacturers, who were thus both
duped and plundered.
A per cent tariff duty was origin
ally enacted to aid in the development
of our infant industries" Infants
hundred years old, protected" By 30
and 100 per cent. of duty, are clam
orIng as loudly for their bountlea as
ever they did They are telling AZ
many lies as ever they did. Whenever
the tarifr 10 up for consideration they
rush to Washington with their fairy
tales and false entries, even a. they
are doing now.
Take, for example, the plant OF the
boot and shoe men. There can be.
says President Hanan, the boss
prImogenitor of the boot and shoe in
dustry, only one result from lower
Ing the tariff on shoes. II would
mean such a readjustment of wages
as must produce industrial conflict II
not stagnation in the trade. Under
the present tariff rates the foreign
shoe Is gradually but surely invading
our market, and II will not be long
when 1t will do 80 under circumstan-
ces of great disadvantage to the
American manufacturer"
Mark how a few facts and figures
will put this witness down. Accord
ing to the latest compilation of official
statistics the value OF shoes imported
into the United States was s10b.075 IN
1909; $171 ,807 In 1910; 359.2t3 during
the first eight months OF 1911, and
1922 ,4O4 during the corresponding
period OF 1912. The exports OF boots
and shoes for these same periods
reached a total OF 81 ,1S1 .16b during
the first eight months of 1910. 1t2.-
f61. 749 during the corresponding
period OF 1911 and S14,439.94s during
the first eight months OF 1912. We
are now importing from foreign coun-
tries about $350,000 worth of shoes
annually and exporting to foreign
countries about S22,000.000 worth.
Thus We sell TO foreigners sixty odd
pairs OF shoes for every pair We buy
from them. But, oh, no, we must not
reduce the tariff on boots and shoes.
for that. as President Hanan tells u.
would be OF great disadvantage To
the American manufacturer"
The boot and shoe men need no
protection. They are In no danger Of
an invasion OF foreign boots aud shoes.
They already sell abroad cheaper
than they sell at home. undertaking
their foreign rivals In their own
markets. Mr., Underwood should
place a very low, reyenue-yielding
duty on boots and shoes. as on every
commodity entering into the daily ne
of the people.
Truly. II us repeat, the Vice Pregi-
dent-eieCt is right The protective
system is unanswerable for the Low
standard OF morality among the peo-
pie engaged in commerce and at the
same time for the bad name of trad
ers We have in every part Of the
world. What wonder the wide and
and dark contrasts OF living, and the
vast fortunes piled up at one end Of
the country in a single generation
During the last 80 years our laws
have taxed the many to enrich the
few so that the marvel is not that the
few have so much, but that the mass
es have anything at all
Touching the developments of both
the money probe and the tarff probe.
the Times Union, OF Jacksonville Fla.
with great force and truth. reaches
the following conclusion:
We can do nothing to dIggIpata the
wealth that has already accumulated.
but we should repeal all laws thai are
intended TO make money from one
man and give II to another We cant
make men equal or even give them
'noai oppol tuHlISeI Dui We Gan BUD
the Government from discriminating
between its citizens; we can stop It
from holding one man down while It
lifts another up, and to do this moth
Ing is needed but Government
conducted on the ume-honored prin-
ciples OF the Democratic party. No
progress Is needed from the prIn-
eiples of a party that has always
stood for equal justice to all and
special favors to none"
To which the Courier-J Journal says.
Amen. Louisville Courier Journal.