The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-09-03
lest We Forget"

| y
prosperity It has brought about in
spots is being used for all II 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 remem-
Der that the whole country was pros
| porous and that all men were en-
| ployed prior to 1912. We should re-
member that the entire Republican
system of prosperity was attacked and
that we were charged with RESPONSE
bility for the high cost of living and
for a great variety of economic evils.
President Wilson came to Congress
with a direct message to back up
these charges. He did not mince
words, but declared emphatically
that the progress he had made I'M
der the Protective Tariff system
must be destroyed. In his Address
from the Throne" April s, 1918, inn
mediately after he had called Con-
gress i'm extraordinary session he
said:
I'VE must abolish everything that
bears even the resemblance of privil-
ege or of any kind of artificial adj
vantage 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 revenue
they yield. the object of the tariff
duties henceforth laid must be effec-
tive competition, the whe;ting of
American wits by contest with the
wits of the rest of the world.
This was the beginning of the pres
ident's efforts to put into effect the
promises of the Democratic Party. In
any discussion of the relative merits
of a Republican or Democratic sys-
TEN of government, this message OF
President Wilson should not be for
gotten. Neither 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 Re-
publican Party.
We should not forget the conse-
quences of the policy which the Pres
ident advocated with such vigor. Our
Democratic friends prefer now to dis
cuss the war in Europe. but we must
not hold them to the industrial war
they have wrought at home.
What was the effect of the Presi-
dents tariff declaration?
First: A staggering blow to all
business in the United States because
of the fear of what was to come.
Second: The passage of the I'm
derwood low tariff law which pro-
duced the most unsatisfactory indus
trial conditions.
Third: The loss of trade and en-
ployment at home, and the develop
ment of industries abroad.
Fourth: An income Tax and
War Tax imposed upon people who
were at peace with the world; and
grist of legislation adverse to
American enterprise.
Fifth: A depleted treasury with
more taxes in sight, since the pres
ent 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 l,
to July 81, 1914, the loss of revenue
under the Wilson-Underwood Tariff
Law, as compared with the repealed
Republican Tariff Law of the prev
ious year, was upwards of $4,000,
600. The damag to tn country in
that period was enormous and for
eign manufacturers displaced $24S,-
OOO,OOO worth of American labor.
That. however, was only the begin
ming.
The whole argument in favor of
President Wilson's tariff system
was based upon alleged control of
trusts and monopolies and the high
cost of living.
Let us remember how his remedial
scheme worked out. By admitting
goods of foreign cheap labor free of
duty, and at such rates of duty as
made American competition impos-
sible, the Wilson anti-"artificial" tar
if law cost the American Treasury
full $1OO,O0O,00O of revenue the
first year. The retail price OF for
eign commodities was not reduced
TO the American consumer because
the foreigner added the duty to his
price. The Democrats, therefore,
did rot relieve the American consum-
err, but added 500, 1000 to the
profits of the foreign manufactures
l.. l.