Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-28
PROTECTIONISTS AGAINST
THEIR WILL

could not stand for this dyestuffs
section which is nothing moro nor
less than copying Republican protec-
tive tariff principles, something that |
have stood against for lifetime.
| will not stand to be lectured by the
Senator from Missouri or by any one
else on something that leaves stencil
in the nostrils Of the Democrats.-Seh-
ator Underwood.
THESE illuminating remarks by the
Alabama Senator in resenting the
criticism of Senator Stone reveal more
clearly than the dyestuff section Of the
new revenue bill the attitude of the re-
sponsible leaders of the Democratic
party. Protection is a stencil in the nos
trils of the Democracy. Grover Cleve-
land denounced it, and Woodrow Wilson
rejoiced that Congress had given him an
opportunity to sign a bill which made a
deliberate attack upon the protective prin-
ciple and put American business on the
defensive in its own markets.
The proposed dyestuff tariff is a stencil
in the nostrils Of all the Democratic
tariff reformers. They have had to hold
their noses while they voted for 1t in
committee meeting. They did not dare
appeal for votes in the presidential cleo
ton IL It could be charged against them
that they had neglected the obvious duty
of doing something to encourage the
dye industry here and free us from de-
pendence on Germany. They knew that
we produced in large quantities the same
kind of raw materials that the German
chemists transformed into colors, and
that they were going to waste Pressure
of public sentiment has forced them to
agree to duty on dyes. And they are
preparing to say to the voters, I'VE can
be trusted to look after the industry of
the country Look at what we have done
to relieve the dye famine"
If the voters are deceived by any such
plea they will have only themselves to
blame for the disaster that will overtake
them. The war has cut off our supply of
dyes, and we find ourselves in need be-
cause the domestic industry has not been
developed. The war has also cut off
the competition of European producers
with the industries which have been de-
veloped under a protective tariff. The
Democrats have lowered the duties on
multitude of articles. When the war ends
the producers of Europe, instead of Grip
supply of chemicals needed in our own
manufacture, will begin to cripple it by
flooding our markets with goods produced
in feverish haste by labor that has been
made efficient by the dread necessities
of war. That competition which Presi-
dent Wilson delighted to assist in bring
ing about will begin in deadly earnest.
Nothing but an intelligently framed
and consistent protective tariff law can
save us in the approaching crisis. The
party in power is not even considering
the passage of any sort of a protective
bunglingly framed anti-dumping bill
which can bring relief only when it is
proved that the purpose of a foreigner
In underselling Americans in their own
markets is to ruin them. All the foreigner
would have to say Is that 81 am selling
my goods at a profit, and If you cannot
make them as cheaply as can that is
your misfortune and not my fault" And
the Democrats would have to admit it, for
they are committed by generations of
profession and practice to the theory that
IL goods can be made more cheaply in
Europe it is an economic crime for
Americans to attempt to manufacture
them here.
The workmen in the mills in Phila- |
delphia and elsewhere who would be
thrown out of employment by the adop-
tion of this policy do not agree with this
ViaxU