The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-27
ALpR1cH,s SPEECH.

speech on presenting the tariff bill TO
the senate was one of the most
remarkable on the tariff ques-
ton that has been made for very
long time In it are admitted some
facts that have been recognized by
everybody. hut which few ever thought
would be acknowledged by the leader
Of the Republican party in the senate.
The speech may be said to be declar-
alton Of a new departure in the tariff
policy of the party; in fact it would
hardly be too much 10 say that Il IS
epoch making. The speech is worthy of
close study for the admissions it makes.
1T was. I believe, thoroughly under
stood throughout the country in the
I last campaign that if the Republican
party should be again intrusted with
power, no extreme tariff legislation
would follow. II was believed that in
the changed conditions of the country
q return to the duties imposed by the
act of 1890 would not be necessary,
even from protective standpoint,
Saws Senator Aldrich. That states the
case as it is. In the campaign of 1896
the tariff question was but a minor
incident and was not the issue on
which the Republicans won. Had they
| pushed the tariff question to the front
! and RELOCATED the financial question 70
/ the rear. there is every reason TO be
lieve they would not have been vic
! torious at the polls. Since their victory
| they have changed front on issues. 1t
certainly was believed that in the
| changed conditions of the country
return to the duties of the Mckinley
| law would not be necessary, even from
a protective standpoint" Those duties
cost the Republicans the presidency
These sentiments, from the stand
point of the stalwart Republican pro
tectionist, must appear alarmingly
revolutionary.
The provisions Of a tariff law affect
all these interests in mum berlesS ways,
and unless there can be stability in
the tariff policy there can be no GER
tainty of prosperity for industrial con-
dftions in this country which, with
very few exceptions, do not demand a
return TO the rates imposed by the act
of 1890 The bitter contest which Is
going on among the leading nations of
the world for industrial supremacy
has brought about Improvements IN
methods and economies in production
to an extent which was not thought
possible a few years ago THESE new |
conditions must be taken into account (
IN considering the rates to be i'm
posed.
The senator here takes cogniZance of !
the fact that conditions are continually |
changing, and says they must be heed |
ed Your thoroughbred protectionist |
takes no need of progress, but builds /
his wall, and sitting in its shade thinks /
his little domain comprises the whole !
world, ana is content. New condi- !
tions must be taken into account in |
considering the rates to be imposed"
True, yet Chairman Dingley and the
Republican majority of the house of
representatives, insisted upon absolutely
ignoring new conditions. They stood
exactly where they did in 1890. having
learned nothing. having forgotten moth
ing.
Heretical as all this is, still more so
is this:
In the future it is almost certain that
we shall be obliged TO depend more and
more upon taxes of this internal rev
enuel nature for necessary revenue.
In the years TO come we must expect
q decrease rather than an increase in
the customs revenue TO be derived IN
der the principal schedules of the tariff.
What a concession is here; nothing
like it ever before came from such q
source. though the country may expect
many more such concessions from the
same source IN future. Whenever the
country enjoys the perfect and ideal
system Of protection not a single cent
of public revenue viii be derived from
tariff duties, because under such a sys-
TEN there viii be no imports and all
revenue viii be derived from internal
taxes.
What Senator Aldrich says about
rather than an increase from
customs revenue must be looked for in
future is a distinct recognition Of the
fact that the people are gradually turn
ing away from protection: that what
ever may have been claimed for ii in
the past cannot be claimed for it in the
future. The Dingley bill is probably
The last effort the American people will
ever make to erect tariff wall. of
Chinese wall dimensions, around the
As 10 the details OF the bill most con-
sideration was given the sugar sched-
ule and next to that the wool schedule.
The defense Of the sugar schedule. was
aecessitated by the recent charges that s
il is made in the interest Of the Sugar
trust. What was said about the J
change in the wool schedule from what
{ was in the house or Dingley bill viii
lot satisfy the sheep men, difficult
ask a. any time. one would like to
snow il any special significance is to
BE- given what was said about the abro-
-ation Of the Hawaiian reciprocity I
-reaty.
on the whole, Senator Aldrich's
speech was very good one. manly, .
straightforward and business-like.
CANNoN's BOUNTY e
SCHEME DENOUNCED.