Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-08-07
sARcocK ON TARIFF REVISION.
from the St Paul Pioneer Press


1t has been stated that Congressman
Babcock has reconsilered his views as
to the necessity Of revision of the tariff,
in consequence of the revelations which
had been made to him during his Euro
pean four Of the effect OF his proposed
tariff changes on our trade abroad.
There is no hint, however, of any snch
change OF views in letter written July
/, while in Austria, to the editor OF the
Southwest Wisconsin. In the letter he
says
Tho thaorv ~ republican protection Is and
has been to build up our own institutions ~
protecting labor and materials " tna. ~ III,
end We might as nation become ihe ~
as we'll AS politically, Independents ~ sa
, world By she practice OF TINS repuoiiCon
policy, we are today making all tnat we s abIe
sumo OF many commodities Out a.so ~ 20 othe.
peoule So IL has come to pass that s oIhe o.
ticles the like OF which years ago We ih .p1v
ed nearly all we consuG,ed. We car Now IA
| produce and underseli the world,. wy wei1
The point: After we have buiiueu 70 800,
! aud many OF these industries have oscv IN
giants such as the world has LIVER ~, rartieies
known, shall We continue tarih on a rs.I."
| that yield no revenue, need no pfoees,saS -,
and that in fact, like the PRODUCES OF oua
l farms are ARTICLES OF EADbILf ~"
| a Motley be defendedg III congress maintains
u tariff on such articles the whole theto .y, ~
protection falls TO the ground ana II sluip.g
Inures to the benefit of those VINO may So ~
| the control OF anv such commodity since py
| It's aid they can ok exorbitant prices ~ ~ ~
| domestic market | maintain thst ~ - a
part OF the policy OF protection 10 pfote.ss y.
consumers This is perhaps the Only thine
| that congress can do at the present tLu.e. ,ha
| | would not touch Il schedule "nete VIZ
| tariff was needed to protect iaDor
Those who oppose any changes wnat-
ever in the tariff schedule, for fear tnat
If a breach is made in the dam, the wa
ters will break through and sweep away
the whole elaborate tariff structure
find it difficult to answer these PROPOSE
tons When the protective tariH mas
accomplished it's purpose by 40 stiinu-
lating economy and efficiency OF proouc-
ton of any article that the domestic
manufacturer not only supplies tns en-
tire home market, but exports it in COM
J petition with the cheaper labor OF other
countries it is apparent that it no longer
needs pro lection, and the oily purpose
of continuing the protective tamil IA 10
afford a shelter for the exaction OF exor
bitsnt prices Such policy cannot be
defended. The people will not stand IL
To stubbornly oppose revision OF the
tariff is to invite political revolution
And since it is absolutely certain tha'
the people will demand such revision, i
is obviously far better that the tariff o.
amended by the friend OF the protection
rather than by it's enemies And tn
republican party will have to choose be
tween doing this work its II in sucn :
way ne t., maintain the protective polio!
| where needed and to the extent to which
Il il needed. or it will find the task com
mitted to the bungling hands of the fret
trade democrats, with the probability
that all protection to American industry
and American labor will be swept away
Mr.. Babcock will need be very careful
or he will be straightway written down
as a wiId-eyed populist by the Milwau-
kee confederacy that il about to set up
in business in. Milwaukee, and read out
of the party Ellis b. Usher and few
other stall w arts fresh from the demo
cratic camp will doubtless be constitute
ed board to pass upon the republican
ism Of men who have done honest daty
in the old republican ranks for many.
many years