The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-08-27
The OWOSSO TIMES
LEST We FORGET"

= Speech of Congressman y. Hamp-
a" ton Moore, of Pennsylvania, Mem
Der of the Wavs and Means Com
mittee of tho House of Represen-
tatives, at Worcester, Massaohu'
sets, August l4th.
Lest We Forget" is about the best
text that can be recommended to Re-
publicans at the present time. The
European War and the temporary pros
perity it has brought about in spots is
being used for all it is worth to make
Republicans forget what was done to
them" in 1912. Above all things this is
the time not to forget, but to remember.
We should remember that the whole
country was prosperous and that. all
men were employed prior to 1919. We
should remember that the entire Re-
publican system of prosperity was at
tackled and that We were charged with
responsibility for the high cost of living
and for a great variety of economic
evils. President Wilson came to Con-
gress with direct message to back up
these charges. He did not mince words,
but declared emphatically that the
progress we had made under the Pro-
tectiye Tariff System must be destroyed
In his Address from the Throne, >
April 8, 1918, Immediately after he had
called Congress in extraordinary ses.
sion, he said:
I'VE must abolish everything that
bears even the semblance OF privilege
or of any kind of artificial advantage
80 aside from the duties laid upon
articles which we do not, and probably
cannot, produce, therefore, and the
duties laid upon Injuries and merely
for the sake of the revenues they yield,
the object of the tariff duties henceforth
laid must be effective competition, the
whetting of American wits by contest
with the wits Of the rest of the world Z"
i, This was the beginning of the Presi-
dents efforts to put into effect the
promises of the Democratic party. In
any discussion of the relative merits of
q Republican or Democratic system of
government. this message of President
Wilson should not be forgotten. Mel
ther should we forget the failure of the
Administration to reduce the cost of
living, to destroy the Trusts, or to
remedy any of the other evils charged
against the Republican party.
We should not forget the conse-
quences of the policy which the Presi-
dent advocated with such vigor. Our
Democratic friends prefer now to dis
-cuss the war in Europe, but we must
now hold them to the industrial war
they have wrought at home.
What was the effect of the Presidents
tariff declsration2
First: A staggering blow to all bust.
ness in the United States because of the
fear of what was to come.
Second: The passage of the Under.
wood low tariff law which produced the
most unsatisfactory industrial condi.
tions.
Third: The loss of trade and employ.
ment at home, and the development of
industries abroad ga. ..
Fourth: An Income Tax and War
Tax imposed upon people who were at
peace with tie world: and a grist of
legislation adverse to American enter.
prise.
Fifth: A depleted Treasury with
more taxes in sight. since the present
war tax bill expires by limitation at
the end of the current year and will
have to be renewed in some form.
In seven months, from January 1. to
July 81, 1914, the loss of revenue under
the Wilson. Underwood Tariff Law, as
compared with the repealed Republican
Tariff Law Of the previous year, was
upwards of $23,000,0O0. The damage
to the country in that period was
enormous and foreign manufacturers
displaced SEAS, 900, 900 worth of Ameri-
can labor. That, however, was only
the beginning.
The whole argument in favor of
President Wilson's low tariff system
was based upon the alleged control of
trusts and monopolies aud the high cost
Of Lying.
Let us remember how bis remedial
scheme worked out. By admitting the
goods Of foreign cheap labor free Of