Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1905 — PROTECTION IS ROBBERY. [ARTICLE]

PROTECTION IS ROBBERY.

Republican Proof That the Trtitl Charge Two Prior*. When the last Democratic national convention declared that “protection Is robbery” all the Republican organs were shocked and grieved or angered according to their mood. During the campaign, when the Democratic newspapers and orators gave Instances of bow the people were being robbed under the protection system, similar howls of disapproval came from the same quarter, and even the specific Instances that the trusts were charging higher prices to our owu people than to foreigners abroad were denounced as fabrications, but were never disproved. Now comes the Fanama canal commission, with the approval of President Roosevelt, declaring that the ships, steel rails, freight cars and all manner of supplies required lu the construction of the canal will be purchased abroad unless our domestic trusts meet the price offered by the foreign manufacturer. Tills proof that the trusts have two price lists, one for domestic use and one for export, has thrown the stand patters Into fits from which they will burdly recover. The frank announcement that the trusts nre charging our own people from 30 to 50 per cent more than they charge the people of foreign countries for their products and that Uncle Bam, to protect himself from being robbed by the trusts has to purchase supplies abroad, will open people’s eyes to the enormity of the Republican system that allows corporations to rob them. The farmers, laboring man nud the business man, for that matter, thus have official Information that the protective tariff, which the Republican party has always declared was enacted for their benefit, has been renlly a plan for the trusts to legally rob all who buy trust products. The Democratic declaration that “protection Is robbery” Is thus verified. The voter that casts his ballot for a candidate for congress that has not publicly promised to vote to revise the tariff will be voting to rob himself of about an average of 49 per cent of all he buys that is enumerated In the tariff schedules, and whatever beyond that the trusts find he will stand.