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Show AMERICANS ARE TOO SHREWD NOT TO RETURN TO PROTECTION. In no pnrt of tho correspondence of .the German Ger-man agents, made public recently, is there more slgnlficnnce than that contained in the expressions expres-sions of confidence thnt Germany will be able to regain all her trade in the American market once the wnr is over, say's the democratic Washington PoHt. The shrewd commerclnl agents of Ger-mnny Ger-mnny foresee nn immedintc movement for the restoration of a protective tariff, according to this correspondence. The predictions to this effect, ef-fect, however, are based upon the complimentary view that American business men nre too shrewd to permit the present non-protective tariff to remain in operation. Unless such steps nre taken, the Germnns are aware they will not only bo able to regain their old foothold in the American market, along with all other European nations thnt pny wnges lower thmi tho American standard, but will be nble to regain the position they hnd under the Pltync-Aldrich Pltync-Aldrich protective tnriff law, but will be able to take full advantage of the existing tariff, which permits more than GO per cent of nil imports to como in free. It hns been snid thnt even the democratic party, par-ty, under the pressure of public opinion in recent yenrs, hnd nbnndoncd the policy of free trade. No democrat over dares utter a peep nbout free trade on the stump. President Wilson doubtless would hnvo resented tho charge thnt he wns n free trade candidate. Yet, with free trade applying ap-plying to more than GO per cent of all products, by what other nnmo can the present tnriff be called? |