New-York tribune., 1901-08-01
Mr.. BABCOCK REPLIES.
ANSWERS CRITICISMS ON INTRoDUc
TIoN OF HIS TARIFF BILL.
IBY rELEGnArH TO THE rarBuxz.I

Milwaukee. Wis. July 3l--Congressraan Josepa
w. Babcock chairman OF the Republican Con-
gressionaI Committee. replied his critics on tb
Introduction OF his tariff bill IN letter writts,
from Marienbad. Austria. 70 Mr. Taylor Ediro-
Of THE Southwestern Wisconsin" published ~
Linden. in Mr.. Babcocks district The letter b
self-explanatory, follows:
1 am an Itra-RepubUcan and projections. 40
have not changed my lifelong views in the least
In introducing the OIL tnat did sought 10 cover
such articles as are manufactured cheaper In tEs
United States than IN any other country tn
charge that the bin is crude Is true ana IN can o s
be perfected oy hearings before the Ways ana
Means Committee The fact as 20 each item u-iI
then be brought out. Those who have rushed 70 az
tack my proposition have assumed slsat oroySs a.
place all articles made by trusts the free isf
arguments have been directed against thar Which
have not affirmed on the contrary, have no sym
should be removed from all trust made goods fo-
that would De tree trade For instance. the great
est revenue producer We have Is sugar. handed
and controlled BY Jrust. but, inasmUch as pro-
lection IS necessary for the cane growers OF the
South and the beet growers OF the Norrb ~
tariff should remain The theory Of Republican
sttutions by prOteeting labor and material so that
IN the end we mlsnt as as a nation become indus
world. BY the practice OF this Republican policv
we are to-day not only inaking al that we con-
manufacture some for less than any other neopis
So it has come to pass that some articles tbs ~
OF which years ago we imported nearly All Ne ca S5
suTned. to-day produce and underselI Tbs
so wen and many Of these industries have 9e9I 9eis
known shall we continue tariff on articles thar
are In fact Ike the products Or our farms articles
Of export? How such policy be defended n
Congress maintains tariff on such articles the
II simply tnures to the benefit OF those wao NAV
secure the control OF any such commodity since ~
its aid they can fix exorbitanr prices in the dones-
tic market
lection to protect the consumers Ths is perb3ns
the only thing that Congress can do at the present
time. l would not touch a schedule where ~
tariff was needed TO protect labor The only ansUs
that has been so far made TO my proDosiSior So
certain articles o and on tLs F-.-
list Is that it would iujuTe the small manufacturers
Seen %1u5e ad by p Payne caa q me Was has
and Means Committee, and by JOHN Dalze1 who
for both OF these able gentlemen and due rsspser
for their opinions; put as a business man realize
goods as cheaply as the large one. II is settled
duce equally with another II must 20 our Of s,Tst
ness Therefore cannot see the force Of the argu-
e e5 to bs bsq remarked that the trust rapdy 5uy
Is per cent OF all in producing capacity. and viii
no doubt secure absolute control Of practically an
~ ~ ~ naar future The PennsvIvania R9iirosj
n I.ls IeI. e, izire the condificns has fst oT-
chased one Of the large Pennsylvania steel plants
presunnabIv so that il might be in a position 70
TTroteot itself and make its rails. Would they
for a moment enter into TINS new ned. which Is
thew considered the danger OF exorbiant prices for
steel rails imminent aeslre % csL yqlr aL'en,
tion to the testimony or SotsIesslIsi aver oi
Ohio before the Industrial Commission You will
sS5atrrIined that the tariff schedules shall not
be changed; but when ne came 70 tne & question
0brase he was '1ong criticisms and short on
sfIIIv Endorsed the Dingley BILL and Yet think
thar AT the time IL passed il was wise judicous
nnea s1re Mr. Dingley was one OF the best, II not
The hest Informed member OF Congress on the
tsTfef snhfeCt In fact. he was often called the
,-1sy, IN thf broadest sense Of the term But con-
dftious have changed since the Dlngley oIH De-
caroe a law In fact. the world has never known
sucE Industrial growth as has taken place In the
TTni+ed states since President Mckinley was first
elected The conditions that confront us to-day are
new and should be net and handled from a Re
r,1Ejiran standDofnt feariessly In my opinion. the
onIv argument that has been made against my
proposition lies in the statement that 70 undertake
~ amend the tariff law disturbs trade and unsettles
business TO greater or lesser extent This argu-
nent would have conclusive force II the Demo
Gratis were in CONTROL but there is nothing 70 fear
from Republican Congress When tariH changes
are made the friends OF protection should make
them Yours truly J. ". BABCOCk