Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-08-11
ALDRICH ANALYZED.
His Ideas of a Protective Tariff
Not Popular.
Formed His Views from Reading
Democratic Papers - "EauaIizinK
Conditions Delicate Task
Protection Must Protect

In the remarks made in the United
! States senate by Senator Aldrich on the
! Dingley bill, he expressed some views
which are far from being in accord with
the opinions of many friends of protec-
! ton law, and which were certainly not
embraced in the tariff discussions of the
presidential campaign of 1896. After
| promising a speedy consideration of
| the bill, wherein the senator will receive
the hearty and undivided support of
| every citizen of the United States, he
said
The majority OF the committee believe
| that II thorough revision or our revenue
| laws. such as Is contemplated by the house
! Oil. - necessary, II should be carried out
| In conservative spirit. and that such @
moderate and reasonable measure should
| be adopted as will insure much greater
ceHree or permanenCe TO our tariff legisla-
! ton. Frequent revisions OF the tarifr are
productive OF long periods OF uncertainty
and arrested development. The radical
change In policy In 1894 proved disastrous
20 the business interests Of the country.
We agree with Senator Aldrich in "A
measure where he says that frequent
revisions of ;he tariff are productive of
long periods of uncertainty and arrest
ed Development" but we cannot indorse
his argument that because THE radical
change in policy in 1894 proved disas-
tvous to the business interests of the
country" similar results will follow the
enactment of a protective tariff. The
radical change" i'm 1894 was i'm the di-
rcction of lower duties that permitted
foreign goods to usurp the products of
our own factories in our own markets
with the consequent result that our la
Dor was idle or working mt lower wages.
thus curtailing the purchasing power Of
our people. \ protective tariff oper-
ates in precisely the opposite direc-
ton. The moderate and reasonable
measure which Senator Aldrich has
In mind tends to operate just rs "a free
trade measure would. because our man
ufacturers have been afraid of the mod
Grafton and rcasonableness OF the meas
IRE, afraid that it would fail to protect.
Had they been assured of the final pas
sage of the house bill then business
would have been humming and work
ers whistling months ago. Again we
quote the senator:
II was. believe. thoroughly understood
throughout the country in the last political
campaign that IL the republican party
should be again intrusted with power no
extreme tariff legislation should follow. II
was believed that in the changed conditions
OF the country return To- the dudes i'm
posed by the act OF 1890 would not be neces-
sary. even from a protective standpoint
~ was with these facts constantly in view
that the majority of the finance committee
prepared the amendments which they have
submitted for your consideration
We do not know where the finance
committee of the senate secured this in
formation, unless from some of the dem
ocrau' and mugwump newspapers of
the country. 1t was never "thorouphly
UNDERSTOOD by the republican press
mat "a return of the duties imposed
nN the act OF 1890 would not be ncces-
sary.' Nothing of this sort was stated
in any single one of the veranda
speeches of the president. Nothing of
this sort was conveyed in the tariff
plank of the republican national plat
form of 1896. If the finance committee
has revised the Dingley bill with these
facts constantly in view" then il has
been sadly misinformed as 10 the real
wishes of the republican party and sad
~ out OF touch with the needs Of our
industrial interests. Nothing will so
soon compel a revision of the tariff. aft
- the passage of the Dingley bill. a.
the so-called conservative" tariff ideas
upon which the free trade newspapers
have been harping for the last five
months. Such a tariff would fail to
protect, hence il would be unsatisfac-
tory to the majority of the people.
Again:
The rue friends OF a protective policy do
H'i insist upon extreme rates. or amy that
ar" not necessary to equaIize conditions
I H. fta nj g. D. O..
are often imperative. vet 10 must Ice adj
mitted that they furnish needless opp.r-
tunities for destructive attacks
To certain extent this is true. Bur
the committee must be positive that It's
tariff rates do "equalize conditions"
The senate evidently did not think so
chen it advanced some of the commit
tees rates Immediately after Senator
Aldrich had concluded his speech.
Ihough rates slightly above the line of
protection may be 'inopcrativc." vet
they act MS a safeguard against the i'm /
provcmcuts in methods and economic.
I'm production" that are daily taking
place i'm Europe and in Asia and which
tend TO lessen the value of commodities.
~ we are not prepared to meet such
changed conditions as they occur. then
another tariff revision will he demand
ed In order To- protect our workers. AMI
II is far preferable to have our protcc-
ton fence without break strong
enough 10 withstand anattack, and high
enough TO exclude cheap coolie compe-
iton, than 10 have a weak or low fence
that Us liable TO be broken down at any
moment 10y foreign industrial inya-
SION We must safely gunrd against
such destructive attacks" rather than
wait To- build up our ramparts after
TIE attacks have been made. As Sen
ntor Aldrich says. These new condi-
tons must be- taken into account in
considering the rates to be- imposed"
Again we quote:
The rates suggested by the committees
amendments are considerably below those
imposed hF th" house hilI. and ir most Inc
stances below those contained BOO the act
or lN' In suRgcstiuE these reductions the
memn'rs NJ the majority OF the committee
TtAihrW and omphasiza their position sl
FRIEND W The protective policy The uIti.
mate purpose 1f this policy Is to secure. sl
far as This I7 possible. hy wise and CON
#.aH Leo Del.