Evening star., 1901-06-08
1t is Against the BabcOck Tariff
Bill.
VIEWS OF ITS SECRETARY PRESENTED
He Declares 1t is an Empirical
Measure.
AGAINST PROTECTION POLICY

he Home MarkeJ OIuD, cOnpOSeu Oh
2oOO prominent manufacturers, chiefly of
New England. but scattered in different
parts of the country. does not approve the
Babcock tariff bill. Mr.. Albert Clarke of
Massachusetts, secretary of the Home
Market Club and a member of the indus
trial commission. which is sitting In this
city, gave his views the effect of the
passage of the Babcock bill to Star re-
porter today. Mr. Clarke has been secre-
tary of the Home Market Club since 1889,
and is closely in touch with its policies.
He is known as a stanch advocate of the
policy of tariff protection. He regards any
suggestion looking to a revision of the
tariff during the next Congress as dan
gerous. because he considers that tariff
tinkering in any form will be sure to upset
Industrial conditions. Any uneasiness about
the future tariff conditions that will cause
business men to slightly curtaiI their trade
he thinks will be sufficient to bring about
widespread trouble.
Difference between Prosperity and
Hard Times.
THE difference between prosperity and
hard times" he said. lis often a matter
e of or 10 per cent in the bulk of the busi
ness of the country.
Mr.. Clarke believes that if the tariff is
removed from goods made by the big cor
pOraJlOnS the smaller dealers IN similar
lines will be the first to suffer, and in any
event he thinks that labor would be in
turiously affected. He says the Home
Market Club has no interest at stake in the
Bahcock bill that is not common to all
citizens
II consider the Babcock bill an empirical
measure-an empirical remedy for disease
that may not exist said Mr.. Clarke. 1T
Is projected on the assumption that COM
binaJiOn of manufacturing companies is an
evil Now the best economists and bust
ness men differ as to whether or not it IS
an evil, and this difference diSreSardS party
lines and economic lines. For example. two
proteCtioniSt witnesses who appeared be
fors the Industrial commission yestrria lay
differ radically on the questions of whether
the so-calIed trust is an evil or benefit.
The same was true in regard to two free
TRADE witnesses who appeared two weeks
ago
Opinion to Trusts.
The weight of opinion among the princi-
pal business men Of the country who have
appeared before the industrial commission
IS that the s0-caIIed trust is natural evo-
luton in business, and while 1t may have
evils in its train it promises more good
than evil. Now. l assume that Mr.. Bah
cock desires To strike at whatever evils are
found. and without doubt there IS consid
cradle sympathy with his purpose in all
parts Of the country. l see that Senator
Harris If Kansas indorses the measure or
its purposes. and says it finds favor with
most Of the people in his section. OF
course their motives and opinions are to
b. respected. but I think when Senator
Harris says that manufacturers must be
prevented from selling at lower prices in
foreign countries than at home he will
have to study the subject profoundly to
mad a preventive in the Babcock bill or in
any other proposed Legislation The fact
IS most exporters in all countries have sold
abroad at lower prices than at home. and
have done SO since expectation began.
Nearly fifty years ago commission of the
DdTllAmtQt reported
common practice IN that country. | do not
know how any man can be prevented from
selling his goods for whatever he can get
for them wherever he chooses to take
them.
Assumption of the BabcOck Bill.
The assumption of the Babcock bill is
that the steel trust. so called, is not only
an evil. but result of the tariff Now,
everybody recognizes that it is in no other
sense the result of protection than that
the industries which it carries on NAV have
been established in this country under the
inducement of a protective tariff. But
there are many other concerns engaged in
these industries besides the United States
Steel Company They are independent and
competing. one Of the objects of protec
tion is to develop competition among home
Industries Now. If protection is with
drawn the smaller and independent cOmpa-
MES will be more injured by it than the
combination. This is plain a PROPOSE
tion that it does not need TO be fortified
by fact or argument Therefore, Mr.. Bah
cocks bill would defeat one of its pur-
poses. and I have Vet to find the who
can see how il would protect consumers
of iron and steel goods in this country or
compel those of any other countries TO pay
any more than they pay now.
a protective tariff should be equitable
and national, extending alike to all indus
tries that subject to foreign competi-
ton To amend 1t piecemeaI is TO intro
duce inequality and injustice. There is
absolutely nothing to defend Justify it
from prOteCtiOnist or republican point
of view II the combination were certainly
an evil. and If that evil could be remedied
by amending the tariff. all of would be
ready to agree upon a reasonable PROPOSE
tion. but the whole scheme seems to me a
thoughtless impulse, and do not believe
that 1t will find any favor in either house
Of Congress among those whose special
function IL Is to study tariffs and their
effects"
Attitude of Home Market Club
What will be the attitude of the Home
Market Club toward the Babcock bil?' Mr..
Clarke was asked.
THE Home Market Club" he replied
usually seeks the accomplishment of its
purposes through the enlightenment of
public opinion. 1t believes that nothing
can stand but the truth. and that the
American people are intelligent enough to
discriminate between truth and error when
they have taken proper time for studying
the subject The Home Market Club has
no interests at stake In this matter which
are not common to citizens of the whole
country. II has animosity toward Mr.
BabCOck or those who share his views
confess that we have been surprised bv his
haste in this matter especially In view of
his official relations with his party but we
believe that the more he studies the sub
ject the less he will favor any measure
that will do injustice or endanger the pro-
tective system. and that he will choose 10
have his bill regarded as the expression OF
purpose to defend the people of the coun-
try against what seems to be a possible
evil rather than as a mature measure OF
economic or business legislation"