Show TARIFF IS THE ISSUE DOMINANT QUESTION IN THE ING CAMPAIGN principle 0 protection will nu 1 by democrat and defended by in the content that III to decide national control the closing days of the session of congress brought the tariff question as the of the campaign to the front the democratic leaders made no effort to disguise the tact that it Is their purpose to attack the protective system at every point they denounce protection as robbery and declare that it should be rooted out of the laws of the united states spirit ed defenses of the system were made by representative littlefield of maine and other republicans the issue was joined there is no mistaking the tact that the principles of protection will be assailed and defended la the coming campaign with vigor by the adherents of the respective parties the more bold and outspoken of the democratic leaders of today notably those in the bouse of representatives are divided into two camps in their field operations against the protective system on the one hand are those who denounce the protective system as robbery of the people and who demand that it be stopped and wholly abandoned as a principle of govern ment with respect to our revenues on the other hand there Is an element of free trade leadership who recognize the tact that an outspoken avowal of their real principles would have the effect to strengthen the cause of protection this class makes a covert attack upon the protective system denouncing noun cing it yet at the same time avow ing that it Is the purpose of the democratic party only to reduce duties in cases where duties are too high many of the tree trade advocates boldly announce their adherence to the free trad doctrine and they demand that all duties which afford protection to the industries of the united states ball be abolished and that this nation shall establish itself upon a free trade basis pure and simple probably one of the most interesting aspects of the tariff discussion as it has opened up for the approaching cam laign Is the inability manifested by the democrats to agree upon the meth od of attack which shall be directed against the protective system some of the democratic leaders avow that the manufacturers in the united states are enjoying a colossal colo monopoly un the shelter of the tariff duties that these manufacturers are tat sleek and prosperous that these manufacturers do not want the tariff disturbed be cause they fand profitable business un der its operation in robbing the amer lean people another class of the tar iff asserts that the american trade interests are suffering from the protective policy that the leading corn mercial nations of europe are bombin ing against the united states and cloa ing their markets to american prod acts that as a result of these condl cloua and tl e consequent alleged deplorable plo rable conditions of american industries the manufacturers are demand ing modifications of the tariff sched ules bus Is presented a situation in which the opponents of protection are attempting to proe that the robber baron manufacturers are ready to gh e up their grip upon the markets of the united states the best markets in the world in order to induce the lu governments to open their mar keto to american manufactured prod acts ind this la the kind of tariff smashing doctrine that is expected to induce the american ie to abandon the protective system and turn over abe government to the free trade dvo eates |