The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-06
SPRINGER'S POLICY.
1t Receives the Endorsement of
David A. Wells.
ATTACKS PREFERABLY
Attention Concentrated on Essentials-It
Was Sir Robert Peers Plan-Concern-
ing Agricultural Implements

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-Springer's policy
of attacking the Republican high tariff by
separate bills has found an endorsement
from a great political economist and the
father of tariff reformation David A.
Wells, OF Connecticut. At the next con-
ference of the Democratic members of the
ways and means, letter will be read, not
only endorsing Springer's policy as the
| wisest party course at this time, but init
mating even if the Democrats controlled
both Houses of Congress and the execu-
tive, the separate bill plan rather than a
measure for general revision would be the
wiser course. That the gentleman whose
works and essays for years have served as
the chief Democratic litersture in the agi
tation for tariff reduction should approve
the plan now adopted by the Democrats of
the ways and means committee, is natur-
ally q source of great qualification to
Springer and other members of the House
who have stood as the advocates of the
separate bill policy as opposed to the de-
mRnd for
AN ATTEMPT AT GENERAL REVISION.
Mr.. Wells, in his letter referring to the
framing of a complete new bill, saws nc
congruities, errors and perhaps absurdi-
ties which only time and experience will
reveal. In the hot partisan discussion fol
, lowing such bill, all the weak points will
be exaggerated and used to obscure the
more important issues and confuse the
public, We cannot afford to give the
J enemy any advantage in discussion or CD
portunitles for befogging the real issue
Again, with a complete tariff bill The
friends OF reform would have 10 meet the
entire force OF protectioniSts, active anC
compact through the attraction of further
opportunity Tor public piunder. On the
other hand, under the tentative plan, tina
! is of comparatively few issues, the ten
J dency of those interests not Immediately
affected would be to sluggishness and in
/ difference. The old maxim
'DIvIDE AND CONQUER
1t seems, therefore, to Wells the most per
, tlnent under existing circumstances H
also asks attention to the matter of histori
7 cal evidence. full of suggestion and which
| thus far seems to have been overlooked
and that is what Sir Robert Peel, in deal
2 log with exactly the same problem, ou
: from the British standpoint did. H
Y adopted the tentative method, and owed al
Of bis great success to the fact that he di
: adopt it. Mr.. Wells then goes on to detail
: the attacks made by Peel in 1912, 1S45 an
l lcto VI luc oTltlSu Uarl1 laws, ana nov
: under the continuation of his policy afte
Q he left office the last relics of the BIRTHS
< navigation laws were swept from tn
I statute books in 1852 and the policy O
{ Great Britain became wholly ANTAGONIST
S to the maintenance and enactment of an
g laws restrictive of freedom of exchange O
the imposition of taxes for any purpos
other than revenue. ''And l venture I
predict, says Mr.. Wells, that if we ador
a the same policy history, on a grander scale
will repeat itself. Every relaxation of tn
existing restrictions on trade will increas
!" trade and the blessing of freedom and
- EXEMPTION FROM ALL UNNECESSARY TAX
- TON
will be SO understood and appreciated b
- the masses of our people that retrogressiy
- action will not be liberated. Furthermore
= by adopting this method and sending I, tt
= Senate few simple bills enacted by Ii
- House removing the duties on wool, sal
7 coal, lumber, tin plate and the like. II
Democratic party will define and formula
- the plan and scope on which the tariff do
- bate in the coming Presidential conte
= shall be conducted. General debate wi
Q thus be to a great extent dispensed vii
4 and discussion be
- CONCENTRATED ON ESSENTIALS,
= The masses are and probably always w
be slow to compr ehend the tariff Questic
when discussed generally, but they w
not be slow to recognize and appreciate Il
effect of taxation on commodities that en- t.
r into their consumption and increase ii
a cost OF living and production.