Evening star., 1901-11-14
His Idea Of Tariff Revision Fully
Explained.
QUESTION FOR CONGRESS- TO ANSWER
Does Not Want Chairmanship of
Campaign Committee.
LIBERAL TO THE DISTRICT

whose proposition to revise the customs
| tariff on steel billets, structural iron and
| steel rails has caused so much discussion
| in republican and protective tariff circles,
has reached Washington for the session.
Mr. Babcock said today he would prepare
his bill and introduce 1t early in December.
My idea as to tariff revision is simple, l
think" he said to Star reporter. "It is
| this: Where by changed conditions tariff
duties have become exorbitant, far be-
ycnd the needs Of protection, 1 would
put them where they would amply protect
labor, but not to point that would create
a monopoly of trade and raise prices to
consumers.
| In other words, if an article cost 81 to
| be produced abroad and $1.4O to be pro-
duced in this country, 1 would favor a so
per cent duty, to protect ourselves; but not
200 per cent, which would simply afford a
| margin for increasing the price to our own
| consumers. There is no departure from re-
publican protective tariff principles in that
| reassert that am as ardent an advocate
OF the republican doctrine of protection to
American industries as there is in this
country
Question for Congress to Answer
THE question this Congress will be called
upon to answer is. VIII it permit tariff
duty to remain in force, to enable trust
| to pay dividends on watered stock?
There has been a great deal Of talk
about the small manufacturer 1 want to
give the small manufacturer all the protec-
tion he needs. But bear this in mind, the
small manufacturers in the steel and iron
business. that are capitalized legitimately
that have no watered stock, that are run
upon, strictly business principles can pay
dividends with a rate Of tariff upon which
the steel trust would have to pass it's d.
Vtdends on its common and preferred stock.
The trust needs the exorbitant tariff to
Keep up prices in order to pay dividends
upon its great volume of watered stock.
The trust is making enormous profits. The
small fellows, of course, are following the
prices set by the trust, but they don't
need any such tariff in order to enable them
to make handsome profit on their opera
tions
There IS my whole proposition in brief.
1t is not question of revenue but one of
rotecting the consumer against exorbitant
| prices and still giving the small manufac-
turer adequate protection against foreign
competition
| "In s.the class of manufactures my bill
touches labor does not enter to such de-
gree as in other branches OF steel making.
The great part of the ore is surface
ore, dug out with steam Snovel. 1t
Is dumped into a hopper car. which
emptfes 1t into a bin that in turn
dumps it into vessel. 1t is lifted out by
steam power, and through all the process Of
making steel billet the labor used is at
minimum. Structural iron making is large
Want 1t Solved by Republican Party.
''The question that have raised will have
to be met, and want it solved by the re-
publican party. The entire northwest is
aroused upon this subject, and the people Of
Iowa. Minnesota and Wisconsin are with me
solidly. have letters without end, news
paper Endorsements and encouragement
from many quarters.
Mr.. Babcocks attention was called to the
crusade that has been commenced by the |
American Protective Tariff League to have
him removed from the ways and means |
committee and to defeat his reelection as |
chairman of the republican congressional |
committee.
81 stated to my colleagues on the repub-
lcan congressional committee last fall at |
the close of the campaign" he replied, that |
l would not serve another term as chairman |
of the committee. 1 have heard no intima- |
tion that l am to be removed from the ways |
and means committee
Liberal District improvements
Mr. Babcock said he expects to be re- |
appointed chairman of the House District |
committee and will continue his efforts in |
behalf of the Districts welfare.
Il think that provision for improvements
In this city should be made upon liberal
scale this year. not alone for the interests
of Washington, but for the benefit and en- |
JoyiHeHt VI tue people at large. The Won |
derful prosperity of the country in the last |
three or four years should be reflected in |
public betterments in the national capital
I shall labor for generous appropriations. !
and since some of the so-called economists |
have departed from Congress 1 think we |
may hope for better things.
Il am entirely in accord with the project |
of improving the mall. 1 don't know what |
will be done with the union depot plan. OF |
course considered from the viewpoint of |
removing the tracks from the mall the |
idea Is good, one. A union depot is not |
necessary for the convenience of traffic |
however, as Washington Is in measure a
terminal point.
'That is, passengers do not come on the |
Baltimore and Ohio to be transferred to
the Pennsylvania, and the only exchange of |
passengers on the Pennsylvania lines is the |
traffic between the north and south, and |
that is mostly by through trains.
Everything possible should be done to /
better the water supply Of the city, and ap-
preparations cannot be made to better ad-
vantage than for this purpose 1 imagine |
this will be busy session for the District |
committee, as there were many worthy |
bills that failed to receive consideration in |
the short session owing to the lack of |
time
EnnEEUTS AIM m |