Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-04-14
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
WalSeman's Differences With I'M
pOrters About Tariff.

He's Good Fighter ana n Close
Friend of the President-Thc Point
of the Present Complications Brief
Iy stated.
NEW YORK, April 18.-[Special will
bur f. Wakoman, appraiser of the port
of New York, about whom there is good
deal of talk just now because certain i'm.
porters disagree with his administration of
the office, is about 40 years old a solid,
square built chunk of man, with level
grey eyes that betoken the lasting fighter,
the sincere hatcr and the stcadfast friend.
Mr.. Wakeman has been in touch with
the leaders of the Republican party ever
since some little time prior to 1899, when
Robert p. Porter resigned as general Sec
rotary of the American Protective Tariff
league, to become superintendent of the
census under Harrison, and Wakeman,
who had been working for Porter in the
league, took the place. AS general secre-
tary of tho tariff league, Wakeman speed
lily made that organization the most COM
plete and systematic bureau of statistics
not under governmental auspices in the
whole world. He located correspondents
in every industrial center he procured lists
of voters names in every locality where
there seemed chance-of spreading protec-
ton doctrine effectively; he circulated
leaflets, pamphlets and books wherever no
believed the people were open to convictions;
he made card indexes from which it is
possible to learn at glance more detailed
information concerning the political pref
erences of the voters in divers localities
than could be gathered any other way in
"a n hta trar of nA ha
American Protective Tariff league from
fairly efficient organization to the most
magnificent machine for the acquisition
and dissemination of information relating
to American manufactures and other in
dustries that has ever been in existence.
Continuous work For Protection.
Wakcman had this work fairly under
way by the time the presidential campaign
of 1892 was opened, and his efforts all
through that campaign in behalf of the
national Republican ticket were of the
most strenuous sort. 1t was shown on
election day that year that his work, like
that of all the Republican forces, had gone
for naught. The party opposed to the
protective idea had won the fight, but de-
feat only impelled Wakcman to greater
effort, and before week had rolled
round the machinery of the American
Protective Tariff league was grinding
away as energctically as ever.
1t is Wakeman's idea that the only
method of winning in politics is to keep
up the struggle continuously. This idea
is shared by many leaders in both the
great parties and if these leaders had
their way the executive national commit
tee, both Democratic and Republican,
would never slacken their efforts, though,
as a matter of fact, as every one knows
both parties do cease aggressive operations
almost completely after every presidential
election and rarely begin them systcmat-
ically until the summer preceding the next
election rolls round. G. y. Bliss, Mr.
Mckinley's first secretary of the interior
and the leading hacker of the Tariff
league agrees fully with the Wakeman
notion. II Mr. Bliss had his way, the
craftsmanship of the Republican national
committee would be salaricd Office and
the salary would be large enough to war
rant first class man in taking up its du
ties. Mr.. Bliss however, has never been
able to bring this about, but it was in his
power TO keep Wakeman and the league at
work BY 1896, when the country was
again called upon to elect president,
Wakeman's machine had accumulated q
vast deal more information and had its
machinery of dissemination in even better
shape than four years earlier.
Close Friends with Mckinley.
AS matter of course Wakeman's work
from early November, 1899, TO early No
vember, 1896, brought him in frequent
and intimate contact with William Nc
Kinley, and the closely allied aims of the
two men engendered close personal as we'll
as political friendship. In the circum-
stances Wakeman's appointment to some
important post was foregone conclusion,
and the selection of the appraisership was
exactly what he desired.
The chief points now at issue concerning
his administration of the appraisership
have To do with the Interpretation of the
terms Of the SO called Dingley tariff law.
He holds that efforts have been made To
secure the admittance of goods at less
rates than the law contemplates. Those
who are against him declare that he is al
together too strict in his reading of the
statutes 1t is an open secret that some
Of his opponents are Republicans, and this
is explained by the fact that, sympathizing
wholly with Mr.. McKinley's ambition to
be nominated to the presidency in 1896,
Mr.. Wakeman frequently found himself
engaged in bitter contests with Nh Platt
anu MS VI Iut htDuDllCdn or
ganization in this city and state.
1t is stated by men who ought to know
that the Platt forces are now arrayed
against Wakeman and that supreme ef
fort will be made by them to dislodge him
from his post. Their success is considered
problematical, however, even by organiza-
ton members, because of the extremely
close friendship between the president and
the appraiser as above noted
Virtually IA National Office.
Although he is located in this city and
all the forces under him are employed
here, the Office Of appraiser at this port is
virtually one of national Importance since
in spite of the circumstance that New
York's importations are now relatively
smaller than they were some years ago,
the great bulk of all goods produced
| abroad and consumed in this country still
enters through the Narrows and pays duty
here. Besides, the valuation of merchan
disc received at most other ports is largely
determined by the valuation here.
As aDDraiser Mr. Wakeman has work nd