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Vbc Conservative * 5
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The intoiiso anxiety
SAVED ! SAVED ! of that spartan bnnd
of editors that
assembled recently at Columbus ,
Neb. , to receive the ministrations
and solace of Bishop Bowlby and Doctor
Howard , both D. D.'s Doctors of De
mocracy must now give way to tran
quil gladness. The Brooklyn Eagle , of
December 20th , brings balm to bruised
and worried brains. That journal gives
to the world an assurance of constant
care over wayward and callow congress
men by that unsurpassed economist ,
' / matchless financier , stupendous states
man , unerring lawyer and stalwart
soldier , who has twice been the nominee
of the Populist party for the Presidency
of the United States. The consolation
is all the more satisfying and soothing
because it comes canned in the delicious
rhetoric of the aforesaid candidate
himself. It is conserved in his own
modesty jellied and sweetened by his
own diffidence. Writing from Wash
ington on the 25th of December , 1901 ,
the correspondent of the Brooklyn Daily
Eagle says :
"Each Democratic member of the House
today received a letter from the former
peerless leader stating that the Com
moner , 'William J. Bryan , editor and
proprietor , ' would be sent to him dur
ing the balance of the present session
of Congress. Mr. Bryan apologizes for
forcing his paper on Democratic mem
bers who have not cared to subscribe for
it , and at the same time adroitly points
out the material to be found in the
defense of Democratic principles. The
following is part of the letter ; 'If
agreeable to you , I shall be pleased to
send you the Commoner during the
present session of Congress. I do this
without expense to you because I feel
an interest in the questions which are
likely to come up for discussion. With
out assuming that the editorial part of
the paper will be of special value to
you , it occurs to me that you may find
in the quotations that appear from time
to time something that you can use in
the defense of Democratic principles.
Yours truly , W. J. Bryan. '
The Eagle has brought comfort to
millions of human beings who had al
ready begun mourning in anguish for
fear that the teachings of this venerable ,
experienced and prophetic populist
might not reach the pagan souls who
we are now assured have the gospel of
Bryauarchy without cost and without
price. Could humane charity go
further ?
The Conservative congratulates the
recipients of the weekly counsel of the
oracle upon the great
Unequaled. possibilities of the
campaign of 1904.
The fervent effort , already initiated , to
re-affirm the Chicago platform of 1896
and to re-deolare the Kansas City creed
of 1900 ought to encourage all followers
of the money fallacies to hope that
sixteen-to-oueism may be resurrected
that denunciation of the federal judici
ary may again become a test of patriot
ism , and that once more the peerless
leader , emerging from "the house that
Gab built" clothed in a presidential
nomination , may stand upon rear plat
forms and exhort the American people
to accept rant for reason , fallacy for
finance , and words , mere words , for
wisdom.
LOWERING THE TARIFF WALL.
[ By HAUVEV W. SCOTT , Editor of "The Ore
goninn. " ]
Least possible legal interference
with the course of industry and of
commerce , least possible obstruction by
law , is the policy suggested by reason
and approved by experience.
Every interference by government
is in one way or another an obstruc
tion even when the avowed object is
to aid industry and commerce ; because
such uudertakincr disturbs the course
of things in natural movement , and ,
while it may give advantage in certain
directions , it will interpose check up
on the natural movement in other.
The freest possible movement on lines
naturally offered to production and
exchange , is the sound princple. It
is not a sound principle to use the
power of the government to force one
industry or-set of industries to carry
others or to establish others. All the
"protection" that one sort gets an
other sort must pay for.
It is inevitable that the United
States should move in the direction of
free trade. Development within , and
advancement into the outer world ,
are making this course a necessity.
Hence the call for "reciprocity , "
which , however , is only a first step.
It is a sign of unrest , indeed , rather
than a step ; for even the proposal to
take it precipitates an acute conflict ,
between protected and unprotected in
terests ; and the question is asked
whether cruder products and the ma
terials of manufacture from foreign
countries are to be let in free of duty
while finished goods are still to have
the favor of a protective tariff. Thus
reciprocity , so-called , brings up that
old burning question of our tariff de
bates.
What commodities , then , shall be
made the subjects of reciprocity ? On
this point there is no possibility of
agreement. Different sections of the
country have different interests ; but ,
so long as protection shall be main
tained as a principle or policy , there
will be powerful protests against even
partial infringements through recipro
city agreements.
The citadel of the protectionist po
sition of the west , and especially of
the Pacific states , is wool ; but a
strong outwork is fruit. Large num
bers of our people feel that these in
terests must be "taken care of , " and
for this reason they -will support a
general protective policy to a far
greater extent than they would be in
clined otherwise to dp. The sheep and
wool interest are of high importance in
our arid and mountain regions , where
there is little else ; and the vastness
and variety of our fruit production ,
and the still greater possibilities of it ,
up and down our coast states from
British Columbia to Mexico , bring
this interest into a position of the first
rank in the demand for protection.
We have to reckon with this condi
tion. We cannot escape it. Few per
sons concerned with these matters
stop to think that the whole subject
is larger than the circle of their im
mediate interests , and to preserve their
own , they will vote to uphold a sys
tem which they well know runs into
many and large abuses.
But the policy of protection will
ultimately strangle itself. The domes
tic market will not suffice ; the foreign
market must be entered ; and yet we
shall not be able to get the benefits of
the foreign market without free , or
freer , exchange. We cannot continue
to sell commodities abroad , in large
quantities , unless we consent to take
commodities from abroad in return.
Here in the Pacific states wo want
trade with Asia ; but we cannot have
it on an extensive scale unless we
take Asiatic commodities , nor can wo
build up a trade with the Philippine
Islands , or oven keep the Philippine
Islands , unless we allow the introduc
tion of their products into the United
States on terms free , or substantially
free.
free.How
How long will it be till these prin
ciples shall be demonstrated and ac
cepted , it is useless to predict. But
there is increasing pressure that way.
Resistance to these principles will ,
however , bo very stubborn. Men
never willingly give up a system
through which they suppose , however
erroneously , that they have an advau -
tage.
CHRISTMAS TREES.
Dr. J. M. Shaffer , of Keokuk , Iowa ,
writes THE CONSERVATIVE in regard to
the Christmas tree trade , taking as his
text a clipping from a Pittsburu paner ,
in which fears are expressed that there
may not be trees enough to go around
this year. The clipping is in part as
follows :
"Along in the latter part of the sum
mer we ordered about 10,000 trees. Wo
always order early , with instructions to
ship when we notify them. Our trees
will come from Michigan , Christiana ,
Pa. , and Leetonia , Ohio. The latter we
expect no trouble from , but it will be
more good luck than anything else if
those from Michigan and Christiana
reach here in time. Of course , they are
not due yet , but we have received word
that the cars have been side-tracked and
that it is not known when they will be
moved. Until we find out positively
whether pur entire consignment will
reach us in goofl season , we cannot tell
whether the prices will advance. If
only pur Leetonia consignment comes
there is hardly any doubt but that the
market price will take an upward jump ,
and the supply will be wholly inade
quate to meet the demand. "
Dr. Shaffer then adds the following
comment :
"It is not needed that we weep over
this , for they weep because Christmas
joys are threatened by tree famine.
At that market they dispose of 100,000
trees , and say 'Yuletide would be a'
tame affair indeed and the green
boughs will be missing m many a home
this year. There are trees in plenty
but the railroads are not furnishing suf
ficient oars to ship them. ' Not one
word about the waste of the trees.
Never mind ! Don't worry ! This
great Republic knows you have done
more to advance the growing of trees
than any other thousand men in it. Keep
hammering away. 'Line upon line ,
precept upon precept , he.re a little and
there a little. ' Isaiah xxyui , 10.
It takes ages to establish a principle
or to say of anything that is truth. "
In all of this THE CONSERVATIVE
fully concurs.
A RIDDLE.
A noun there is of plural number
A foe to peace and tranquil slumber.
Now any other noun you take ,
By adding 'V you plural make.
But if you add an "s" to this
Strange is the metamorphosis
Plural is plural now no more
And sweet what bitter was before.
The readers of The Conservative are
invited to attempt the solution of this
riddle , which originated with Canning
a great many years ago and is a very
interesting study. The solutions sent
in and the correct one , too , will soon be
published in these columns.
