News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-08-20
Secretary Shaw and the Tariff.

Camp Ground Tuesday
I have been quoted as opposed tc
revision of the tariff. have never
opposed readjustment of the tariff
Whenever Congress reaches the con
clusion that thctriends of protection
are strong enough to conservatively
modify certain schedules, so as to
meet changed conditions and at the
same time successfully resist the eff
forts Of the opposition to revise the
entire tariff law, thus paralyzing
business for a season, | am in favor
oft. have expressed some doubt,
however, about the wisdom of in.
structing by resolutions, or exacting
pledges of candidates for Congress,
when the effect is liable to precipi-
tate a protracted debate with very
uncertain results. There ought to be
some more tangible reason for such a
dangerous expedient than the exist
ence of sentiment in certain local.
ties, now as always, that demands a
reduction of the tariff on articles
there consumed and not produced,
while it stands ready to fight to a
finish any reduction on the things it
produces. | for one must have a very
bitter and relentless enemy before |
will consent to carry yellow-fever
germs into my home town. Don't
misunderstood me. | am not COM
pairing the readjustment of sche-
dule here and there to an epidemic.
But | do declare there has never been
a revision of the tariff In the interest
of free trade, or for revenue only, that
has not proven as fatal to business
as the plaques of Egypt.
| have never seen the time since |
have given public questions consider
alton, that | 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
Congress ever voted for a tariff bill
entirely to his liking; norisit proba-
BILE that any President ever signed a
bill that he would not have changed
in some particular had it 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 will not admit that the
tariff is the mother of trusts, nor will
| concede that any trust owes its eX-
istence to the protective principle
Neither will l concede that a tariff
for revenue only will destroy trusts
on any other theory than that a fire
in a wheat field will destroy Canada
thiStleS. r,.
Business depression dissipatesboth
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 prosperity
inspires hopefulness. 1t encourages
the individual to reach out, to ex-
pand, to buy moreland, more houses,
more cattle, to erect more stores,
build more shops and to embark in
new enterprises. 1t leads to the or
ganization of corporations. 1t in
spires both dreams of greatest things
and the consummation of gigantic
enterprises. 1t leads to the combina-
ton of capital and the organization
of labor. Organized capital dissi-
pates and labor-unions perish with
the approach of hard times, what
ever the cause. Does anyone suppose
that the anthracite coal miners could
be kept together if there were mill
ion men out of employment and their
families begging bread? Will anyone
contend that they could be sustained
were it not for a great army of BIZ
luminous coal miners who are re-
ceiving such compensation as enables
them to contribute a dollar per week
for the maintenance of their brethren ?
The protective tariff is not the mother
of trusts, though it is the parent of
conditions that makes it profitable
for capital to combine, and congenial
for labor to organize.
The Republican party in my state
recently reaffirmed the tariff platform
of 1901. This has caused consider
able comment. 1t has been misrep-
resented, not quite as persistently
but in the same way that the mem
orable speech of President Mckinley
at Buffalo has been misrepresented,
misquoted, misconstrued and mis-
applied. This platform was unani-
mously adopted both years. It's
statements are academically correct.
Every man in the United States, Re
publican and Democrat, believes in
the truth Of its utterances. 1t de-
claxes lin favor of such changes in
the tariff from time to time as become
advisable through the progress of
our industries and their changing