The Commoner. WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR 4'. . VOL. 7, NO. 45 Lincoln, Nebraska, November 22, 1907 Whole Number 357 CONTENTS TARIFF FOR REVENUE STOP THE GAMBLING LET THE PEOPLE RULE INTENTIONAL MISREPRESENTATION . 'GOVERNMENT BY INJUNCTION DOORS THAT OPEN GOVERNORS' CONFERENCE AT ATLANTA THE STORY OF JOHN R. WALSH WASHINGTON LETTER COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS HOME DEPARTMENT WHETHER COMMON OR NOT NEWS OF THE WEEK THANKSGIVING, 1907 SAM A 5 Otmr oollak1 GIVE US SOUND j,. ir you oon'f oer n SQU 00 TO THBO. V " ( r r .- - "a &. i ot rjpn r i i.cv I thank Theo Lord, that through tho" .year .' Rich .blessings have around .mo ., ,T ' spread; -i.- ---. ;-i That -.though somo days seemed -dark and drear The sun some Gleams of splendor shed. I thank Thee, Lord, for strength, of arm To toll for those within my caro; For Thy great love that saved from harm And blessings gave In richest share. For all Thy blessings on life's way I thank Thoo this Thanksgiving Day. I thank Thee, Lord, as one by ono The days sped to eternity, Each evening's low descending sun Loft loved ones hero to wolcomo m& I thank Thee, Lord, when day's work o'er And footsteps turned to homo and rest, That childish welcomes at tho door Made ev'ry passing moment blest. For all these joys I gladly pay My tributes this Thanksgiving Day. I thank Thee, Lord, that each day'B dawn Was ushered In" with hope and cheer; That each day's sun could shine upon Life's path devoid of thorn or tear. I thank Thee, Lord, for soft caress Of childish Angers on my face; For love that left, through storm and stress, Around my board no vacant pla:o. For blessings spread about my way I praise Theo this Thanksgiving Day. - I thank Thee, Lord, for all tho friends Whose cheery welcomes make lif sweet; For love that all my way attends, And makes my happiness complete. I thank Thee, Lord, for hands stretched out To clasp my own in friendship warm; For hope that puts to flight each doubt And haven gives in ev'ry storm. For all Thy goodness on life's way I praise Thee this .Thanksgiving Day. Will M, Maupin, fcHl r. i .-r -M C A SiTf1 Si A T5 a ..- f- I 1 jm kt. . o j fi rov. n r, vr . - .fa.BTC.- .-HM, - a ' kilHI .B41HMK1: - fc- i f - - i M r ' ' " -- ... i . - -4 , -r. !" '""f - ,, Isn't it strange that the gentleman whoj in 96 was so "terribly frightened at the thoughT'bf a "fifty cent dollar' is now begging so earnestly for a no-cent dollar? TARIFF FOR REVENUE It is now one hundred and fifteen years since the tariff question became a subjeot of debate, and there has scarcely been a year in all that time when there was not moro or less discussion of It. In 1791 Alexander Hamilton submitted his report on manufactures; some forty years later Henry Clay became tho leading advocate of a tariff system avowedly protective; thirty years afterward tho republican party com mitted Itself to a protective tariff and has sinco been a strenuous supporter of tho doctrine. Nearly every prominent man In our political history has been identified with ono side or tho other of the controversy, and a few have been on both sides. Webster, for instance, changed his position out of deference to his manufactur ing constituents. Different arguments have been presented from time to time in support of a protective" tariff, but nono of those which have been most Influential can now bo urged in defense of a tariff expressly designed for the purpose of shielding American manufacturers from foreign competition. As freedom of trade is the nat ural condition, and restrictions upon exchange an arbitrary Interference with the liberty of tho Individual, tho advocate of a protective tariff has upon him the burden of proof to show, first, that it Is right In principle; second, that it is wise in policy, either generally or under special circumstances; and, third, that it Is necessary to the extent that It Is asked. As a matter of fact, the champion of pro tection, at least the modern champion, has never attempted to establish any one of tho three. Tho principle involved, namely, tho right of the gov ernment to tax one man for the benefit of an other, is habitually Ignored. The doctrine that the government can use the taxing power to take money from one man and turn it over to another man for a private purpose Is an inde fensible one. Tho supreme court of the United States (20 Wall. 657) has taken what must bo accepted as an unassailable position when it says: "To lay with one hand tho power of tho government on tho property of tho citizen, and with tho other to bestow it upon favored indi viduals to aid private enterprises and to build up private fortunes, is nono the less a robbery because it is done under tho forms of law and is called a taxation. This Is not legislation. It Is a decree under legislative forms. "If it bo said that a benefit results to the local public of a town by establishing manufac turers, tho same may bo said of any other busi ness or pursuit which employs capital or labor. The merchant, tho mechanic, tho innkeeper, the banker, tho builder, the steamboat owner, aro equally promoters of tho public good and equally deserving the aid of the citizens by forced contributions. No lino can be drawn in favor of the manufacturer which would not open tho coffers of the public treasury to the impor tunities of two-thirds of tho business men of tho city or town." To avoid tho force of this objection, It has been argued, first, that tho tariff is not a tax upon the consumer; and, second, that it is laid for a public purpose. Those who insist that it is not a tax upon the consumer claim that the foreigner pays the tax for the privilege of selling his goods In this country or that while tho Im mediate effect may be to raise the price of the protected article, the ultimate effect Is to cheapen production at home through the creation of domestic competition. The theory that the for eigner pays tho tax is so unsubstantial that ono may well bo astonished at its longevity. If It were true, a protective tariff would be impotent to protect, provided It really cost more to man ufacture a given article in this country than abroad. If, for instance, the manufacturer of woolen goods asks for a fifty per cent duty on tho ground that It costs him a dollar and a half . AkW"