Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-21
Tariff the Basis of AN


Whatever
issue of this campaign the tariff, in way, is the
most important because the success of all other
issues are more or less dependent our import
duties An adequate tariff is advocated by repub-
licans for two reasons--the amount OF revenue
which it brings to the government and the amount
OF protection it brings to our labor and industries
Without import duties which are sufficiently
high to keep out competitive products our people
must be idle or wages must ultimately drop to
the foreign level Unless we have good wages
for our laborers and profitable returns for our
farmers our purchasing power falls to a low
level, both for domestic and for such foreign
goods as we may want to buy. We are prosper
Gus or not according to whether we are busy or
not. If we are not prosperous not only are the
revenues OF the government seriously affected,
but the revenue of every individual is more or
less curtailed.
II the custom duties fall off $l00000O00 year
or more and business is of such nature that the
direct taxes also fall of-corporation taxes in
come taxes and the many other taxes now I'M
posed, and Uncle Sam falls behind. 1t would seem
then that tariff for protection is also doubly a
tariff for revenue, revenue for the government
and revenue for the people, and IT this revenue is
not forthcoming then every issue OF the present
cient funds for the preparedness which we need;
we shall not have sufficient funds tor ma
tional defense; we shall not have sufficient funds
to make the United States as Mr. Hughes would
have them-hrst and ethcIent.
If factory and farm workers are idle, our
freight cars must also be idle and the railroads
cannot earn enough money to pay the increased
wage which has been given by law to part Of
their employees.
So the tariff must not only be an important
ISSUE but in certain sense the most important
issue OF the campaign. While the war continues
abroad we shall have perhaps more or less pros
perity because of our sales OF munitions, but the
war will not last forever. 1t may not last but
year or so longer, and then ii our tariff is not
changed we shall not only lose the foreign trade
which has brought so much prosperity, but
we shall be at the mercy of producing nations
which can send their cheapiy made goods to this
country under low duty or free OF duty and flood
our markets to the displacement of our home
made goods. So from every standpoint we are
dependent upon protective tariff for prosperity
and success, and even our existence as tore
most nation. We are so nterdependent that the
success or failure of one is affected by the sue
cess or failure OF another, and there is getting
away from the TACT that we cannot garry out our
plans for preparedness and national defense and
keep our country in the front rank OF nations
unless our labor and industry are protected
against the producing nations of the world.
Even now when the war is at its height abroad
we are buying more than ever, and our revenue
from import duties is comparatively less than
ever so the American voter should consider this
phase OF the tariff question and understand that
It is really the most important issue of the CAM
paign ~.
Unless Mr. Hughes and protection house
and senate are elected next November, the tariff
will not be changed for at least five years and
during that time the loss that will entail will be
almost incalculable. If, however, the republicans
are successful in November we can, within year.
return to protection and carry out the many plans
which the people OF the United States have for
making their nation first and efficient.
We have good government; we cannot have
an adequate army and navy; we cannot have
fortresses or ammunition Or equipment, without
revenue, and we cannot have sufficient revenue
less we have ample customs duties and internal
| receipts. II our mills and workmen are idle if
business is more or less Frustrated, they cannot
pay taxes in large enough measure to meet the
requirements of the government 1t is calculated
that the deficit for the fiscal year will be largely
| in excess of $l00000000 while it must be still
greater in the years following if the war ceases
and we continue under the operation of the pres
| ent tariff.
The voters must change those conditions at
| the polls on November and make it possible to
get tariff law that will give us both revenue
and protection.