Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-04
Thursday, June 4, 1914.
Pretectionists Should Unite.

that the Republican party is the hope
of the country. 1.-THE tariff question, -
he says, SIS the big issue today. There
is no reason why we should close our
eyes to the truth-we would be poor
citizens if we did But the Democratic
economic policy does not bring pros
perity-it does not encourage develop
ment, In my business, since the new
tariff law went into effect, there has
been the importation of paper products
equal to what 40 or so mills the size OF
the Fayette mill could produce. The
railroads are not working UP to their
capacity. The Pennsylvania has dis
continued over 200 transmits means
that business isn't as good as it was.
Instead of building up to higher level
we are building to a lower under the
Democratic tariff law.
THE Democratic theor yis all wrong,
and, unless those who believe that it is
get together, the Democratic party will
have this country paralyzed by abso-
lutte free trade.
Now, it would be poor judgment for
a majority to divide and permit a
minority to continue in power. That's
what threatens this country at pres
ent. With Republicans divided the
Democratic party, which stands for the
~ will
be kept in power. l want it under
stood that | am Republican because
/ believe in protection and because
there is only folly in the majority di-
viding it's strength and fastening
Democratic rule on the country"
1t is true. as the Democrats claimed,
that prices would be reduced-but not,
not to the consumer. Maine farmers
are feeling the drag of foreign impor-
tations, but residents of cities and viii
lagos find no reduction in their grocery
bills. This is one side of the Demo-
cratic tariff policy; the other is the in
evitable loss of labor where imports
are increasing a million day.
President Wilson now recognizes
national trade, industrial and financial
depression, but declares there is no
excuse for it. He says it is merely
psychological" We are glad he has
discovered that much. but believe he
really mean physical" Golfers
quotes the most intelligent and
powerful friend of the administration"
as saying that Wilson's Mexican course
had been a tragedy of errors He
should have added that the tariff pol
icy of the Democratic party has proven
a course of pigheaded persistence in
the face of experience and previous
disaster, that promises tragedy before
the administration is ended.
President Wilson's comforting dec
laration that the prevailing depression
is due more to psychological than ac
tual causes as reported by the Port
land Argus, seems to help about as
much as did a certain Democratic
statesman's title when he was taken
off the train and locked up for drunk
en- disturbance. He called a lawyer
who recognized his distinction and ex
claimed: Why, they can't arrest a
Congressman" But, - it! they
have" asserted the delayed statesman.
It may be Psychological" but the
country recognizes the sad results.
The Philadelphia Press says: There
is no substantial reason says Mr..
Wilson, why the business of the coun
try should not be in an expanding
condition. There is a reason in nearly
every line of the anti-business bills
that he is rushing through the House
of Representatives today. Under the
guise of fighting trusts he is demand
ing legislation that will hinder and
hamper business both big and small.
He is seeking to apply to business the
principle of regulation by suffocation.
How can there be an expanding con-
dition' during such a process?
The conditions of today are of Mr..
Wilson's own creating. He is their
help business at any moment by with
drawing his insistence that Congress
carry out his personal program of
legislation. A mere nod TO Congress
would permit that body to adjourn
without further attack upon American
trade. The cause of the present busi-
ness unrest is not psychological it is
Woodrow Wilson.
This law was signed in October. In
November we exported about one hun
dred million dollars more of mer
chandise than we imported. In Janu
airy this excess of exports fell to fifty
millions. In February the excess was
but twenty-six millions, and in March
the imports received came within five
million dollars of equaling the value of
the American product shipped TO other
countries. During the month of April
the pendulum swung to the other side,
and the amount of imports exceeded
that of exports by over ten millions.
There is certainly nothing mystic
about such condition. No magma
ton is needed to picture the result Of
such a downward march of commerce"
It's Dretty cheap politician who