Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-18

Sorr1c Of the people who last night heard
Thomas Brtcactt Reel announce to the
thousands in the -re1t auditorium of Michi-
gan University that republican success at
the polls wouli not be- followed by I'M
mediate tariff changes may have been sur
prised. but II they were il was without good
reason There Is general realization of the
fact that much Of the distress from which
this country has Of late suffered and stiIl
is suffering comes from uncertainty as to
tariff legislation rather than from the
changes wrou-ht by the bin which became
a Law last AuSUst. For a long time. no
one knew what Congress would do. The
democratic Platform outlined one variety of
policy; the House OF Representa- tives diff
fered with tine platform considerably; the
Senate paid no more 1ed to the platform
than If it had never existed; the President
had an opinion OF his own. With such n
nsuddled conjItion OF affairs continually be-
fore its eyes 1t is not 10 b. wondered at
that the pubic was confused. that manu-
facturers and importers were extremely
&C nservative. that idiehess succeeded energy,
and poverty CCcIy.ei the place where pros
perity had dySvlt Tor So long time. The
necessity for tariff reform was admitted
even by those VINO adhered to the doctrines
Of protection, but they, in common with
''h VI 'HC many Obl4Ni SUI - VI IcAititdi
economists. favored hurried action and as
rapid a return possible to stable condi-
tons COnceiIns that some Industries
would suffer from tarif changes. broad
minded men were fully convinced that the
country would specify ADAPT itself to al
most any sort oil a RAW. and in this opinion
there Is general concurrence. W hat the
country n-etis Is tarIn law that Will con-
hnue TO DE an UnaIterabie statute for a
definite period; anu the longer that period
Is the better IL Will De Tor all parties con-
cerned- Oi course there Will be difficulty
under the system at present in vogue in
aintainlns IN It's entirety from one Con-
gress to another any law in which practical
pOLtieiIns are interested. Out that 1t could
be done Is quite probable. a tariff law is
Practically a Contract, To break which for
purely partisan or theoretical reasons is a
most SERIOUS Onen5e against the people of
the entlre cUon,ry AMI against those of
other countries With whom we have COM
mercldI reiAtioI.siI.p. IL was We'll sand some
months azO 10y Jnr e,4ItOr of the review of
Reviews that III the government chooses
10 prescribe the dIreCIlJn IN wnIch the IN
dustriai life ot the country shall flow, it
ShouIi enter inns DOMAIN in an orderly
ana tdicuiabie ni.snnsr. otherwise, i, shodid
Keep It's naIIIs oil. W nateNer arguments
there may Dr Tor Consistent and well
established system vi PIOtecIOn. there can
De no pys>iDIe ,ar7o.neut5 Tor a WODplIng
AMI uncertain pD4I,!. Invse utJcTancrs
should be borne IA mind by those VINO have
J0inei Representative " IIson IN declaring
that tne tariI as 1t now exists Is but
the en,erlns point vi a iUw-tarff wedge
Such stdtrincnts are extremely dangerous
10 the drIiOcrauc cause. inns country has
al la II IN
for some time u Come Inere is room Tor
controversy as 10 The respective merits AMI
dement's Oh protection ANA Tree trade but
no thJdsbttuI HIdn can nave In his mimi
any dOUpt Is IL JDe ucsirabIlIJy of non
interference. Tor lew years at least with
the most c"I~pIcuUus UHspTnns OF the FIFTY
thIrd Congress.