Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-12-04
Mckinley and the Tariff.
An Important statement About the
PresIdent-eIecrs Personal Views In
Regard TO Tariff Legislation.

PresIdent-elects Personal Views In
Regard 10 Tariff Legislation.
A Washington despatch says: Some of those
who do not expect an extra session OF Congress
base their belief on the pressure which will be
brought to bear by business men to prevent any
agitation Of the business world. But 1t Is by no
means certain that a revision Of the tariff as
carried out by the new Congress would be on ex-
IRENE lines. Speaker Reed and Chairman Ding
ley in the House both moderate and conserva-
tive in their views, and so are Senators Allison
at Aldrich. who will have most TO say about the
framing Of the tariff bill in the Senate. As for
President KcKinley. bit of interesting testlmo-
ny on this point Is supplied by Maj. John M. Car
son, Washington correspondent of the Philadel
phia Public Ledger, who was clerk OF the ways
and means committee of the 5lst Congress, and
who is probably as familiar with the inside histo-
ry Of the Mckinley bill as any one Maj Carson
reveals the secrets of the committee room in the
following interesting statement:
ut is believed by many persons that President
elect Mckinley is the most radical of protection
lists, and that he favors the highest possible du-
ties, regardless OF any effect such duties might
have upon the importations OF the country. In
short, SO radical is Maj. Mckinley generally re-
garded by revenue reformers that they have In
vented the term McKinleysm' to express what
they believe he stands for which is tie highest
possible rate Of duties, even to the exclusion OF
foreign merchandise.
There never was greater u,istake In regard to
any public man. Maj Ir Mckinley thoroughly be-
leves in the principle Of protection for American
industries, but Is far from being radical as is
very generally believed upon the tariff question.
When the bill which bore his name was being
| formulated, l had special opportunity to know
what was the attitude Of Mckinley and every
other member of the ways and means committee,
as well as those senators who constituted the
| Senate members Of the conference committee.
and can truthfully say that Mr.. Mckinley was
| one Of the most conservative men connected with
| the formulation and enactment Of the measure,
and that many of the features which have been
most bitterly assailed were placed in the bill
| against his advice and his vote.
| ut is a great mistake TO assume that Mex nley
| is an extreme man who would carry out his ideas
regardless of consequences, and IL will doubtless
be discovered before long that he is not nearly Sc
| radical a representative Of what has become
| known as McRlnleyism' as is popularity asserted
| The Mckinley act was very good revenue meas
ure Notwithstanding its dement's, and had 1t beer
permitted to stand fair trial would have JUST
fled its enactment. But the Mckinley act is In the
past and the president elect has his eyes set upon
| the future. He will not 20 back to the past
| simply to revive measure that, have no doub
| he will admit, would not meet every expectation
now. While the presidentelect is welded to the
principle of protection to American Industries, ht
| is not bound up with schedules"