The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-20
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SECRETARY sHAW's SPEECH AT
MoRRIsYILLE, VERMONT.
IN HIS SCHOOLBoY HOME
HE OUTLINED REPUBLICAN STAND
ON TARIFF REVISION.


plained--The Tariff Not .sThe Moth
err of Trusts"-The Beef Packers
Facing Hard Road, Says shaw,
and VIII suffer.
Worthwhile, VT, Aug. 19.--Five thou
sand persons listened to Secretary of
the Treasury Leslie NJ. Shaw, who was
the principal speaker at a Republican
rally here to-day. Secretary Shaw lived
here When he was a boy, and went to
school here, and the residents Of all
the section roundabout came to hear
him. He spoke in part as follows:
Il have been quoted as opposed to
revision of the tariff l have never
opposed readjustment of the tariff.
Whenever Congress reaches the con-
clusion that the friends of protection
are strong enough 10 conseryatively
modify certain schedules, so as to meet
changed conditions and at the same
time successfully resist the efforts of
the opposition to revise the entire
tar1H laws, thus paralyzing business
for season, l am in favor of it.
have expressed some doubt, however,
about the wisdom of instructing by
resolutions, or exacting pledges, from
NeAilhlNdttS iOI Congress, when .lne Ell
feet is liable to precipitate a protract-
ed debate with very uncertain re-
suits. There ought to be some more
tangible reason for such a dangerous
eXpedient than the existence of a sem
timent in certain localities, now as al
ways, that demands a reduction of
the tariff on articles there consumed
and not produced, While 1t stands
ready to fight to a finish any reduction
one must have a very bitter and re-
lentless enemy before | Will consent
to carry yellow fever germs into my
homie town. Don't misunderstood me-
| am not comparing the readiustment
of schedule here and there to an ep-
idemic. But 1 do declare there has
never been revision of the tariff in
the interest of freetrade, or for rev.
enue only, that has not proven as fla
tai to business as the plaques of
| Egypt.
Conditions Change With Time.
Il have never seen the time. since 1
| have given public questions consider
! alton that I would not reduce the rate
! on quite large number Of items, nor
when | would not increase the rate
on other items. 1t is not likely that
any member of either House of Con-
gress ever voted for a tariff bill en-
tirely to his liking, nor is 1t probable
that any President ever signed a bill
that he would not have changed in
some particular had 1t been in his
power ! am willing to concede that
conditions change, and that the old
morrill, bill of the sixties, for instance.
when the country was involved in war.
would not be appropriate for us now,
but L Will not admit that the
tariff is the mother of trusts.
no VIII concede that
a tariff for revenue only will destroy
trusts on any other theory than that
a fire in wheat field will destroy
Canada thistles.
Prosperity Inspires HopefuIness.
business depression dissipates both
organized and unorganized capital.
Enforced idleness means financial
ruin to individuals, to business firms.
and to corporations, both great and
small. On the contrary, business pros
perity inspires hopefulness. 1t encour-
ages the individual to reach out, to
expand, to buy more land, more houses.
more cattle, to erect more stores. build
more shops and to embark in new
enterprises. 1t leads to the organiza-
tlon OF corporations. 1t inspires both
dreams of great things and the con-
summation OF gigantic enterprises. 1t
leads to the combination of capital
and the organization Of labor Does
any one suppose that the anthracite
coal miners could be kept together if
there were a million men out of en-
ployment and their families begging
bread? VIII any one contend that
they could be sustained were il not
Tor a great army of bituminous coal
miners who are receiving such COM
pensation as enables them to contrib
ute dollar a week for the mailta-
nance of their brethren? The protec-
tive tariff is not the mother of trusts.
though it is the parent of conditions
that makes it profitable for capital. to
combine and congeniai for labor to
organize.
Iowa Platform Explained.
"The Republican party in my state
recently reaffirmed the tariff platform
of 1901. This has caused considerable
comment. 1t has been misrepresented.
not quite so persistently, but in the
same way that the memorable speech
of President Mckinley at Buffalo. has
been misrepresented, rnisquoted. ms
construed and misapplied This plat
form was unanimously adopted both
years. Its statements are academi-
cally correct. Every man in the
United States, Republican and Demo-
cratic, believes in the truth of it's mr.
changes in the tariff from time to
time as becomes advisable through the
progress of our Industries and their
changing relations 10 the commerce Of
the world Is there any one who is
not in favor of such changes in the
tariff from time to time as are ad-
visable? l am willing the jury shall
be polled on that proposition. 1t also
declares In favor of any modification
of tariff schedules that may be re-
CURED to prevent their affording shell
ter to monopoly And again, we All
say, Aye, sir, 70 the proposition.
There may be quite a radical differ
ence Of opinion as to the truth Of the
implied admission that the protective
tariff does afford shelter to monopoly.
but there would be no difference of
opinion about removing ii If il did af-
ford such shelter
butchers on the Wrong Trail.
"a few days ago the butchers. in
convention assembled, declared In ia
vor OF abolishing the tariff on cattle
and meat to the end that this supposed
shelter for the alleged meat trust
might be removed; but 7 am disposed
10 think the good farmers OF my state
would vote quite unanimously against
such ~ experiment. BY the trend OF
the speeches made az the butchers
convention, ] discover a sentim Eat well
nigh universally expressed there that
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