Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-06-11


manu- WIN mean tnat American mills
and mines must be closed and Ameri-
can farms be made improbable, be
cause whatever we accept of European
products viii displace Just that much
OF similar American products and les
sen the employment Of American labor.
The pressure for the abandonment OF
our American tariff policy by our for
eign debtors will introduce new fac
tor into the free trade propaganda, one
OF the most Objectionable and danger
GUS forms of foreign propaganda In
the United States, Our foreign debt
ors should be required to surrender the
American securities they possess IN
settlement of their debts to us. rather
than to swamp our markets with goods
in payment of their obligations to US
At the close of the Franco Prussian
war an indemnity Of five billion francs
was imposed upon France by Ger
many. In the payment of that debt
vast amounts of French products were
| sent into Germany and as a result
| French industry at once revived and
German industry temporarily was de-
stroyed. France became prosperous
and Germany underwent hard times +"
History in this respect win repeat
itself in this country unless we restore
the tariff barriers which stand for the
differences in the American and for
eign standards OF wages and living.
Dangers From the Orient,
| The danger from Europe is greatly
less than that which confronts us from
| the Orient. Japan has vastly in
creased her merchant marine and her
| industrial equipment during the past
few years. Nagasaki has the second
largest steel mill in the world. China
has a huge steel plant at Hankow,
| where men and women work at wages
| OF from ten to twenty cents per day.
One of the largest steel plants in the
world has recently been erected in the
| valley of the Gauges with unlimited
| labor available at from six to twelve
cents day. Under the existing tarff
law our markets would be sacrificed
in this sort of competition. Water
freight rates from the Orient to San
francisco are cheaper than rail freight
rates from West Virginia to the Mid.
die West. Already Japanese imports
into the United States have increased
to an alarming extent that will be ap.
parer-i INJURIOUS as soon as the enor.
u.
farmers and wage earners of West
Virginia cannot compete with the men
whose uniform consists of a breech.
cloth. whose diet consists of handful
of rice a day, and who can live On
what the average American household
wastes, unless they are ready to go
upon the coolie basis of living. This
is impossible, and the effort to euuali2o
our conditions OF employment with
those OF Asia, South America and
Europe would wreck our citizenship
We cannot, therefore, as good Amer,
leans, consent to the removal OF all
economic barriers and the establish
ment Of an equality of trade conditions
among all nations" We reject that
proposition as sacrifice of American
interests which nothing can justify ex
cept the grim necessity of surrender
ing to conqueror.
Help Labor.
Sweeping industrial changes have
accompanied the present war. Stand
ards of other days have broken down
and new era of labor has opened IN
II deyolyes upon the nations Law.
makers to shape affairs 50 that the
highest possible result viii follow the
most wonderful industrial effort of the
age. The new Industrial day bringp
n ,Ty cherished hopes and aspirations
OF the workers into a full realization
through changes caused by war. and
t,.ose in Official position are in duty
bound to surround this situation With
helpful legislative aids which viii So
cure its permanence. Labor has shown
itself to be power whose potency and
efficiency are absolutely essential tc
winning the war. Every legislative
problem to advance the interests OF
Americas vast army of workers who
toll with brain and hands during and
after the war should receive the an
prevail and support of all me-l in
ofhciai station, and to that end / pledge
my best endeavors.
This is an age OF awakened con
science and we may hope for an early
achievement OF all the benefits OF so
cial justice. Plans must be devised
and laws enacted which shall under ali
conditions assure to the toilers a fai,
ana Just share of the wealth Which
they help to create. do not cl.im to
possess any special information o.
ability which will enable me t. ayr
2ae setae III OF these complicated
questions. | can only work in con
junction with my fellcwpan ana
WEI 4. tezt aud prove ell plans. mesh
DDS ord ~lcc15 FOR the accon1Dllss a.nt
Of these objects, which are f-s en
l-tIrl justice and which command
our ecrICct corsise ION z 81 tbcs,
matters ! invite re rs34ace ana
advice OF every rial and woman who
thinks ard tolls, ard she'll be guided
by the collective wisdom Of the whole
people in my Efforts to serve a great
body OF American citizens.
cood Rcass.
The pernaeae-t sad movement e
West Virginia was organized by a Re
publican state government The Re-
publican party in Congress initiated
the project OF federal aid TO states IL
the construction o. roads Splendid
progress has been made in the move
ment both in the etate and nation,
but the permanent highway program
must continue Indefinitely. In the
hands of its f.i.ids It will make
progress until every section of the
country, no matter how remote. shall
feel its undermining effects and bene
fits. The need of good highways In
the business life ard In the defense
Of the nation was never more deeply
impressed upon the people than by
events occurring since the. United
States entered the world war. Wear
and tear because of the use Of our
public highways for war purposes are
already increasing state demands for
greater federal help, and the subject is
one with which Congress must deal on
a broader scale than ever. II is sub
ject Of much interest to West Virginia.
and one that shall have my earnest at
tention If / shall be chosen senator. !
shall act solely for the best welfare Of
the people of my state and the nation.
seek ng at all times to render TO them
tn most efficient service.
Conservation and Preservation.
Conservation and nreserYation Of