The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-06
Springer's Tariff Policy Heartily En-
dorsed by the Great Polit-
ical Economist.
Hon. David A. Wells Says Tt Is
Also the Best Party
Policy.
COgent Reasons why 1t Is Correct in Tho.
Ory and Advantageous From \ Po-
litical Standpoint.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-'The Springer pol
icy Of attacking the republican high tariff
by separate bills has found endorsement
from the great political economist and
father of reform, Hon. David A.. Wells, Of
Connecticut. At the next conference OF
the democratic members of the ways and
means committee, his letter will be read,
not only endorsing the Springer policy AZ
the wisest party course at this time. but in
timatinR that even if the democrats con-
trolled both houses of congress and the ex-
ecutive the separate bill plan, rather than a
measure for general revision would be the
wiser course. That this gentleman, whose
works and essays for years served US the
chief democratic literature in the agitation
for tariff reduction, should approve the
plan now adopted by the democrats of the
ways and means committee, is naturally q
source Of great qualification to Springer
and other members of the house who have
stood as advocates of the separate bill pol
icy. as opposed to the demand for an at
tempt at general revision. Mr.. Wells, in
his letter, referring to the framing Of a
complete new bill, says no bill can be
framed that will not contain incongruities,
errors and perhaps absurdities, which only
time and experience will repeal. In hot
partisan discussion following such bill
all weak points would be exaQger ated and
used to obscure more important issues and
confuse the public.
"We cannot afford to give the enemy any
advantage in discussion or opportunities
for befoaging real issues. Again. with a
,vlo To tow ba wi 1u ~
would have to meet the entire force of pro-
tectionists, active and compact through the
attraction of further opportunity for pub
lie plunder. On the other hand, under the
tentative plan, that is, of comparatively
few issues. the tendency of those interests
not Immediately affected would be to slug
gishness and Indifference" The maxim,
sDivide and conquer" seems, therefore, to
Wells most pertinent under existing cir
cumstances. He also asks attention to the
matter of the historical adherence, that
TINS far seems.to have been overlooked, of
Sir Robert Peel, in dealing with exactly the
point, adopted the tentative method. and
owed all of his great success to the fact
goes on to detail the attack made
by Peel in lS42, 1916, aud 1886 on
British tariff laws, and how, under the con-
tinuation Of his policy, after he left Office,
the last relics of the British navigation
laws were swept from the statute book in
1852, and the policy of Great Britain became
wholly antagonistlc to the maintenance and
enactment of any laws restrictive OF the
freedom of exchange, or the imposition of
taxes for any purpose other than revenue.
And venture to predict" says Mr.. Wells.
'"lhat if we now adopt the same policy,
history, on a grander scale, will repeat
itself. Every relaxation of existing re-
strictions on trade will increase trade and
the blessings of freedom and exemption
from all unnecessary taxation will be so
understood and appreciated by the masses
of our people that retrogressive action will
not be tolerated.
Furthermore. by adopting this method
and sending to the senate few simple bills
enlcted by tho house. removing duties on
WOOL salt GOAL, lumber, tin plate and the
like. the democratic party will define and
formulate plan and scope on which the
tariff debate in the next presidential con-
test shall be conducted. General debate
will thus be, to Il great extent, dispensed
with and discussion will be concentrated in
essentials. The masses are ana probably
always will be, slow to comprehend tho
tariff question when discussed generally.
but they will not be slow to recognize and
appreciate the effect of taxation on COM
modities that enter directly and largely in
to their consumption and increase the cost
of living and production"