The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-05-14
Facts for Voters.

Free Trade means increased Imports OF
foreign goods and larger exports OF gold
to pay for the same. Every panic in our
history has been precipitated by low
tariff and by exports Of gold. During
the hard times between 1880 and 1871
gold was exported to pay for foreign
goods till the Cleveland Administration is
sued $262, 10000 worth OF Government
bonds to replenish the treasury. Secre-
tary Bryan has taught the Democrats
few tricks since then. A currency bill
has been passed providing for Regional
Banks, which scheme is to provide an
element of elasticity. This is simply
a device for imitation. It is Greenbackism
under a new title. President Cleveland
borrowed the money. The present ad-
ministration proposes to make an issue
of paper money when the Treasury
vaults echo emptiness.
Who are benefited by the present
tariff bill ? Is real estate worth more
Is the outlook for the farmers better?
Are mechanics better employed? Are
our factories buster Is business better ?
Are wages higher? If not, then free
trade is now Just what it was twenty
years ago under the Democratic Wilson,
German tariff bill. Under the work.
ings of that bill the importers prospered,
the business of foreign manufactures
flourished, and American money flowed
into foreign Golfers in golden stream.
The result was nation wide depression.
Men willing to work could get nothing
to do and soup houses became neces-
sity. A subservient Congress, under the
dictation of an armchair statesman, has
made inevitable the same conditions
which afflicted this country during the
administration of President Cleveland.
1t is we'll recognized fact that farm
ers suffer more from the effects of Free
Trade than any others class. Practically |
everything that Northern farmers pro-
duce is put under Free Trade competition
with the entire world. More than 5,000,-
900 wage earners of the mines, the mills
and factories are out of work. That
m cans that 8, O00,O families, customers
of our farmers, will have little income
with which to buy food. When means
to buy are restricted the sales in the
markets are reduced. That market
which is left is divided with Canadians
and with Europeans. To this Free
Trade inevitably leads. 1t is absolutely
for American farmers to COM
pete with foreign producers. Farm
wages in Europe are about one-ffth the
wages paid in Maine. In October,
November and December, 1913, under
the present tariff law, we imported 10
times as many bushels of potatoes and
972 times as many bushels of oats as we
had ever imported in any other three
since the Mckinley tariff law
went into effect. The cash to pay for
the importations has gone out the coun-
try, thus limiting the scope of every
kind of business.
A few weeks ago the Kentucky Dlstil-
ers Distributing Agency wrote TO the
Kelley Institute at Dwight, ILL.,, offering
20 sell to the institute a list of $4,000
vhiskey drinkers. The first sentence of
he letter read as follows: "Our present
customers are your prospective pa
ients." This is certainly concise and
odd blooded statement of fact. '
On the occasion of opening the new {
Naval Academy at Muerwick the EN- {
'eror of Germany said: "The nation
which in the future uses the smallest
nor1nt of alcohol will march at the