Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1909 — THE “MORALS” OF PROTECTION. [ARTICLE]

THE “MORALS” OF PROTECTION.

A Washington dispatch says that when Colonel Roosevelt comes back from Africa he will probably be put In charge of the construction of the Panama canal. It Is declared that he will “make the dirt fly.” And how about the money?

State Geologist Blatchley, according to the Indianapolis Star, has made up his mind to ask a fourth nomination. When he was nominated the last time a delegate who had been for another candidate sarcastically moved to make Mr. Blatehley's renomination “unanimous and perpetual.”

By going on record in favor of the income tax amendment and the election of United by a direct .vote, the New York Democrats have given an Impetus to both of those propositions. The income tax amendment, which is already up to tite legislatures of the States lor ratification, is not out of danger. Twelve states can defeat, it. Georgia, which has been driltiiig toward the Republicans, has already voted against it. and it is expected that the New England states will do likewise. Friends of the proposition should be vigilant everywhere.

Commenting on the declaration of principles adopted by the Democrats at Saratoga, the Indianapolis News among other things, says: Of course the Democratic party has always favored, at least theoretically, “steady adherence to the principle of home rule and local self-government by the state and each of its imlitical subdivisions. * * Of course all Democrats will agree that there shall be “no Interference with the personal liberty of any citizen except such as Is essential to secure the equal rights of all the citizens." And it is not a bad thing to remember, either. Both of these principles are vitally necessary to the maintenance of our form of government at its best.

A writer in the Indianapolis Star asks why Mr. Shumaker (head officer of the Anti-Saloon League) does not “make a report of the financial affairs of the league ” The writer says that it "is generally believed” that the contributions from the counties of the state amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he wants to know what has been done with the money. It is hard to tell what is being done with it now, but during the last campaign it was used to help the Republican party make its state campaign. But it is said that the expenses of the league in the way of salaries and otherwise are very heavy, far greater than'the ordinary expenses of any regular political party. There has been much speculation as to where this money comes from, but no satisfactory explanation has been made so far as we are aware.

Senator Beveridge, who is appealing to the tariff reformers of Indiana for support asserts that he Is a “Protectionist" clear through, or words to that effect. But he thought in

! view of the strong" sentiment in Inj diana, that the Payne-Aldricb-Can- | non tariff bill was swiping a little I more than the people would stand without “kicking." But Mr. Bever- | ldge wants it understood that he is I a “protectionist" still. Below we ; set out what Senator Dolllver. of lowa, thinks about the morals of protection: “As the result of my observations upon the different tariffs of the world (and I do not pretend to be wise or deeply read about the matter), I find that wherever .there is a protective tariff it has built up a system of morality of its own, and I never found that its rules of morals were in accord with any other rules of morals, religious or secular, ever framed in this world. It has built up a system of morality in this country that not only is wicked, but it allows to be done, by authority of law, what the man who does it would never do in his private capacity as a citizen. It permits a man not to covet his neighbor’s goods, but to take them away from him by force of law.”