The Republican journal., 1916-10-26
Some Democratic FalIacies.

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10 THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL:
During the last campaign, some of the
Democratic orators here, for lack of
argument, made use of sophistry, mis-
statements and we'll velled subterfuge.
That such methods signally failed, as it
was known they would before our intel
ligent Maine audiences, was evidenced by
the old fashioned victory which we
achieved at the polls.
The Democratic party does not need to
put any one term plank in any of their
platforms, for the people will see to it
that that principle will be carried out as
far as they are concerned, whenever that
party happens to get into power. One
their speakers made here was; that che
small amount of extra taxes paid by
Maine citizens on account of the Demo-
cratic Revenue laws was more than off
set by the large sum of SAL, 900 appro-
priated by Congress for good roads which
is to be expended in this State. will
not characterize that statement by ap-
plying the short. ugly word which so
aptly describes it, for the speaker surely
either intended to deceive or was grossly
ignorant. Now that $741, 900, if he gave
the right sum, we all know, is to be ex-
pended in five years. one fifth in each
year, or Sal, 200 per year. while in fact
this State paid extra taxes to the U. S.
Government last year amounting to over
$780, 900. And the new Revenue bill
which lately became a law will demand
over million dollars more than the old.
Great is Democratic craftsmanship.
Another misstatement, equally as gross,
made by another speaker the same even
ing was, "What is the great contention of
the Republicans in regard to the tariff?
1t is that we ought to place tariff on
foreign goods equal to the difference in
labor cost in this, and foreign nations.
And this is just what we have done. !"
And man sitting just behind me re-
marked, "There, am glad he explained
that, for l did not entirely understand
that question before" Now l doubt
if there was a more deceptive statement
made on the stump than that in this
campaign. Let us examine the facts.
-Four years ago, the London Board of
Trade sent committee over here to ex-
anime into the question Of labor and the
cost of living as compared with the con-
ditions in Great Britain. Their report
made after several months careful in
vestigations, declared that the American
laborer received from 40 to 100 per cent
higher wages than the English laborer in
the same industries, after the cost of
living was taken out. And in compare
son with the French and German labor
ers, the American wages were very much
higher still. There is no doubt then, &C.
cording to the best authority, that
American wages average so percent
higher than wages in similar industries
In the five principal competing coun-
tries. If that is SO, then any one can
see that the tariff should average SO per-
cent on the competing articles in order
to enable US to compete with the cheap
er workmen of Europe and the other low
priced labor nations. Now according to
the official report, the rate of duty COL
lected on the goods paying custom duty
that came into this country during the
last fiscal year was less than 30 percent,
thus giving the foreign laborer the ad-
vantage of over 20 percent in labor cost
alone. And the average duty collected
on all imported goods was less than ten
per cent.
Another official report tells US that the
duty on the importation Of lime was
percent, while the labor cost is over SO
per cent. Duty on lumber was less than
2 percent, while the labor cost is over %
percent. The duty on glass is less than
81 percent, and the labor cost is over Al
percent. Duty on furniture, Is percent,
labor cost over 81 percent.
Wool, agricultural implements. boots
and shoes, typewriters and sewing ma
chimes, are all on the free list, but the
labor cost of them is over II, 10, 10, 81
and 80 percent, respectively. Is it any