The record-union., 1892-02-06
Special TO the REcoRp.uN1oN.


icy of attacking the Republican high
tariff by separate bills has found indorse-
ment from the great political economist
and father of tariff reform, Hon. David A.
Wells of Connecticut. At the next con-
ference of Democratic members of the
Ways and Means Committee letter will
be read, not only indorsing the Springer
policy as the wisest party course at this
time, but intimating that, even if the
Democrats controlled both houses of Con-
gress and the Executive, the separate bill
plan rather than a measure for general
revision would be the wiser course.
That gentleman, whose works and es-
says for years served as the chief Demo-
cratic literature in the agitation for tariff
reduction, should approve the plan now
adopted by the Democratic Ways and
Means Committee is naturally source Of
great qualification to Springer and other
members of the House who have stood as
advocates of the separate bill policy as
opposed to the demand for an attempt at
general revision.
Mr.. Wells, in his letter, referring to the
framing of q complete new bill, says:
''No bill can be framed that will not con-
tain incongruitieS, errors, and, perhaps,
abSurdities, which only time and expert
ence will reveal. In the hot partisan dis
cussion following such bill all the weak
points would be exaggerated and used TO
obscure the more important issues, and
confuse the public. We cannot afford to
give the enemy any advantages in dis
cussion or opportunities for befogging
the real issues.
Again, with complete tariff BILL the
friends of reform would have to meet the
entire force OF protectiOniStS, active and
thTOlUh nj I'm
ther opportunity for public plunder. On
the other hand, under the tentative plan,
that is of comparatively few issues, the
tendency of those interests not immedi-
ately affected would be sluggishness and
Indifference"
The old maxim, "Divide and CONQUER"
seems therefore, TO Wells, the most peril
nent under the existing circumstances.
lie also asks attention to the matter of
historical experience, full of suggestions
which thus far seems to have been over
looked, and that is that Sir Robert Peel,
in dealing with exactly the same prob
lem but from British standpoint,
adopted the tentative method, and owed
all of his success to the fact that he did
adopt it.
Mr. Wells then goes on. to detail the
Acts made by Peel in 1912, 1916 and 1916
on the British tariff laws, and how under
the continuation of his policy after he left
the office the last relic of the British nav
igation laws were swept from the statute
book in 1852, and the policy of Great
Britain became wholly antagonistic to
the maintenance and enactment of any
laws restrictive of the freedom OF ex-
change or the imposition of taxes for any
purpose other than revenue.
And venture to predict" says Mr..
Wells, that, if we now adopt the same
policy, history, on grander scale, will
repeat itself. Every relaxation of the ex-
listing restrictions on trade will increase
trade, and the blessing of freedom and
exemption from all unnecessary taxation
will be SO understood and appreciated by
the masses of our people that retro
gressive action viii not be tolerated.
Furthermore, by adopting this method
and sending to the Senate few simple
bills enacted by the House, removing the
duties on wool, salt, coal, lumber. tin
plate and the like, the Democratic party
will define and formulate a plan and
scope on which tariff debate in the Presi-
Dental contest shall be conducted The
general debate will thus be, to a great ex-
tent, dispensed with and the discussion
concentrated in essentials. The masses
are, and probably always will be, slow to
comprehend the tariff question when dis
cussed generally, but they will not be
slow TO recognize and appreciate the eff
feet of taxation on commodities that enter
directly and largely into their consump-
tion, and increase the cost of living and
production"
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-The first at
tempt to enlarge the Democratic policy of
the Ways and Means Committee came to-
day in the form of a resolution intro
duced by Fithian of Illinois, directing
the Ways and Means Committee to re-
port bill placing all kinds of agricult-
ural implements on the free list. Fithian
thinks his proposition should have the
support of every Democratic represents
ative from the agricultural districts, and
has already received assurance of sup
port from Watson and his colleagues of
tho Peoples party.
Fithian'S resolution is voluminous, and
opens by asserting that the manufactur-
ers of farm implements in the United
States are selling farm implements in
foreign countries and to jobbers for ex-
port for less than to farmers in this coun-
try. This fact, it says, is conclusively
established by the following answer by A.
B. Farquhar, agricultural implements
maker of York, Pa, to the Home Market
Club: I'VE do sell goods cheaper to
customers in foreign countries directly
and to jobbers for export than we do to
the domestic trade.s You viii like to
learn the process by which the manu-
5acturer can afford to sell to foreign
buyer of goods for less than he can to
home customers f? The reply is simplicity
itself. We receive the prices current in
The market in which we sell. We cannot
get more and cannot be expected to take
less"
The resolution concludes:
WHEREAS, Under this system of plunder-
ing the farmers of our country they are com
SlelIed TO pay more ior implements than The
same implements are sold for 10 farmers
abroad, whose products are marketed in com
petition with the products OF our farms: and
Whereas the duties upon farm irnplernents
lean farmers for the benefit of manufacturers
VINO do not need II, and is thereforea legaIizcd
robbery,
Resoived. That the Committee on Wavs aud
Means be instructed TO report n bill placing
all kinds of agricultural implements on the
nee list.
my reason for the introduction of
this resolution" said Fithian, .sis indi-
Gated by the resolution itself. During
the last campaign in New York State /
was informed by many farmers of ST.
Lawrence County, a hot-bed OF Repub-
licanism and protection, that implements
manufactured in the United States could
DE purchased much cheaper in Canada.
Our farmers are compelled to sell their
products IN the free markets of the world
and buy all necessaries in protected
market
Chairman Springer, of the Ways and
Means Committee, was not prepared 10
say that the committee would receive
saYorably Fithian's resolution as an indie
pendent proposition. 1.-THE revision of
the metal and lumber schedule" said he,