The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1915-12-16


note been for the present war, the
farmer would have suffered much more
than he has. The war has produced
the same effect as a protective tariff.
l think, however, that the farmer is
wise enough to see that when the war
is over, the price of his produce will
go down. The remarkable thing,
however, is that the cost of living has
not gone down. The question natural
ly arises, who has gotten the benefit
from the reduction of the tariff. It
certainly is not the American people.
The only man that I can see who has
profted, is the foreigner who has been
selling his goods in our markets. In
addition to this the government has
lost its revenue. Notwithstanding the
fact that we are at peace with the
whole world, we are paying an inter-
nal revenue war tax of about $780,
100000 annually.
But, perhaps, the class of people
that have been hit the hardest is the
laboring class. BY changing the tar
if you take away from the employer
the ability to pay good wages. Our
laboring people are dependent for their
wages upon our industries. If you
paralize our industries, how are they
going to employ labor and pay good
wages.
Right here want to say to those
who are interested in lettering labor
conditions in this country, that one Of
the surest ways to help labor is to-
procure for them steady employment
and good wages. It is impossible to-
do this on falling market The only
spots in the country where there is
ample employment for labor is where
munitions are turned out for the bel
lgerent nations, When the war ends,
which it must, where shall this Labor
find employment? Hard times are
here and further depression is knock
ing at our doors. When the democrat
ic party took possession of our gov
eminent about three years ago, it pro-
claimed loudly and arrogantly that it
could change our tariff system with
out bringing hard times. In fact the
democratic president flushed with. vic
tory, announced from the throne that
he would hang higher than Hannah on
the gibbet of public opinion any one
who cried hard times as result of the
passage of the democratic tariff bill. I
am inclined to think that if he carries
out his threat he will have to hang
on the gibbet a large majority Of the
people Of the United States. We hear
a great deal Of talk lately Of prepared
ness in case of war. Let me tell you
that the best way to prepare for war
is to develop our country agricultural
ly and industrially, so that we will
not have to depend upon. any country
for anything. Better than large army,
is citizenry that is we'll paid, we'll
fed and well. clothed. Let us develop
our own resources that if the rest of
the world should place around us a.
ring Of steel we could live. and prosper
and get what we want from our own
markets.
In closing let me. ask YOU all to get
together, to fall in with the great re-
publican army and march to victory in
1916. In this connection l wish to
quote from speech Of Abraham Lin
coin delivered in the campaign of
1860, for conditions were much the
same then as they are now:
Cali of us who did not vote for Mr..
Buchanan, taken together, are ma
jority of four hundred thousand, but in
the late contest we were divided be-
tween Fremont and Fillmore. Can we
not come together for the future? Let
every one who really believes and is
resolved that free society is not and
shall not be a failure, and who can
conscientiously declare that in the last
contest he has done only what he
thought best-let every such one have
charity to believe that every other one
can say as much. Thus let by-gones
be by-gones; let past differences as
nothing be; and with steady eye on the
real issue let US reinaugurate the good
old central idea of the republic, we
can do it."