The Republican., 1915-08-26

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
prosperity 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 remem-
Der tha5 the whole country was pros
porous and that all men were empioved
prior TO 1912. We should remember
that the entire Republican system of
prosperity was attacked 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 Congress with a direct
message to back up these charges. He
did not mince.words, but declared en-
phatically that the progress we had
made under the Protective Tariff Sys-
TEN must be DESTROYED. In his "AG-
dress from the Throne, April 8, 1918,
Immediately after he had called Con-
gress in extraordinary session, he said:
owe must abolish everything that
bears even the senhlance of privilege
or of any kind of artificial advantage
aside from the duties laid upon
articles which We do not, and probably
cannot, produce, therefore, and the
duties laid upon luxYrles and merely
for the sake Of the revenues they yield,
the object of the tariff duties hence
forth laid must be effective competition
the whetting of American wits by con-
test with the wits of the rest of the
world. "
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
Republican or Democratic system of
government. this message of President
Wilson should not he forgotten. Meth
er 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 consequence
es of the policy which the President ad-
vocated with such vigor. Our Demo
cratic friends prefer now to discuss 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 busi-
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 con-
ditions.
Third: The loss of trade and employ
ment at home, and the development OF
industries abroad.
Fourth: An Income Tax and a War
Tax imposed upon people who were at
peace with the world; and a grist OF
legislation adverse to American enter.
prise.
Fourth: 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 l, tC
July 81, 1914. the loss of revenue, under
the Wilson Underwood Tariff Law. a:
compared with the repealed Republican
Tariff Law of the previous year, was
upwards of $23, 600, 600. The damage
to the country in that period was enor-
nous and foreign manufacturers dis.
placed $248, 900, 600 worth of American
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 and the high
cost of living.
Let US remember how his remedial
scheme worked out. By admitting the
goods olsforeign cheap labor free of
duty, and at such rates of duty as made
American competition impossible, the
Wilson anti artificial tariff law cost
the American Treasury full 500, 900,
600 of revenue the first year. The re-
tail price of foreign commodities was
not reduced to the American consumer
because the foreigner ADDED the duty
to his price. The Democrats, there
fore, did not relieve the American con-
sumer. but added SlOO, 600, 600 to the
profits of the foreign manufacturer who
was thus enabled to take the work from
the American workingman.
If anyone thinks the cost of living
has been reduced by Mr. Wilson's plan
of reducing the tariff and lowering the
artificial barriers which check com
petitive imports, all he has to do is to
compare the prices of 1915 in the hey
day of the Wilson Administration with
the Drices of household commodities in