The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-08-02
SOUND AND SENSIBLE.


Strongly Opposed to Tariff Revision.
The significance of the action of the
Manufacturers Club of Philadelphia
on the subject of tariff revision and
reciprocity, taken in connection with
the statement of President Search OF
the National Association of Manufac-
turers, given in another column, can
not but suggest itself to every mind.
1t means that the Philadelphia organi-
zation, the largest and most influential
of it's kind in the United States, is I'M
alterably opposed to tariff tinkering
in any and all forms, whether by out
right alteration of the schedules or
by a scheme of special trade treaties
which calls for reduction of duties
on competitive products. At largely
attended meeting of the Manufacturers
club of Philadelphia, held on the even
ing of June II, 1901, the following
resolutions, previously adopted by the
board of directors, were by unani-
nous vote ratified by the club as a
whole:
Whereas. The great and acknowledged
prosperity which this country enjoys today
is directly traceable to the Protective system
under which our revenues are raised and our
industries have been developed and the condi-
lions created which have given us a COM
handing position in the worlds trade; and
Whereas, This country by popular vote has
many times and very recently recorded it.
self in favor of the Protective principle, so
that this is no longer a mooted question; and
Whereas, Such imperfections as are insep-
arabic from any Tariff law are more appar-
ent than real, nasmuch as any Tariff sched-
ule which may seem to be excessive or I'M
necessary becomes imperative when the ne
cessity for Protection ceases, thus automatic
ally removing the burden; and
Whereas, The disastrous experience caused
by the agitation for Tariff revision prior to
and during 1894 is still fresh in our minds;
therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That the Manufacturers Club
of Philadelphia deprecates any attempt to re-
vive Tariff legislation as menace to our con-
tinued prosperity; and
Resolved, That should the alteration of any
part of the Tariff schedules seem necessary
in the judgment of the Industrial Commits
sion now investigating the subject, the same
should be taken out of politics and be made
the subject of careful revision by nom
partisan Tariff commission; and
Resolved, That in adhering to the prin-
ciple of reciprocity as originally formulated
in the Republican platform of 1900, to-wit
I'VE favor the associated policy of reciproc-
1ty so directed as 10 open our inaThetS On
favorable terms for what we do not ourselves
produce in return for free foreign markets,
and as expressed in existing laws operating
through the Tariff which provide for con-
cession on articles not produced by ourselves
in exchange for like concessions on our do
nestle products, having in view the preserva-
ton of the integrity of our home markets, we
have valuable means for the expansion OF
our world trade without injury to our indus
tries.
The whole question of tariff and
reciprocity is contained in these reso-
lutions. In them the attitude of the
great body of industrial leaders
throughout the United States is, we
believe, accurately defined. There
shall be no tariff tinkering on the dis
honest plea that the trust evil may be
thereby remedied, or for any other
reason now apparent. There shall be
no experiments in the line of foreign
trade expansion which take from any
domestic industry the measure of pro-
lection guaranteed by the tariff law as
it now stands; no displacement of
American labor, no decrease of en-
ployment and wages through the in
creased admission of foreign made
goods competing with goods of like
character now being successfully pro-
duced in this country. Sound Repub-
lican doctrine, sound protection, sound
sound practical, business
common-sense!