Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-06
The Presidents Tariff Speech.

The Presidents Minneapolis speech has
superseded in popular interest Secretary
Roots Boston speech made two nights be-
fore on the same topic. Both, however, are
important. and both are accepted as indi-
eating that tariff revision will be discour-
aged by the Fffty-eighth Congress
The President says:
Sweeping and violent changes In such a
tariff, touching vitality the interests Of
all of us, embracing agriculture, labor,
manufactures and commerce, would be dis
astrous in any event. and they would be
fatal to our present well-being If ap-
preached on the theory that the principle
of the protective tariff was to be aban-
doned. The business world, that is, the en-
tire American world, cannot afford, IL it
has any regard for its own welfare. even
to consider the ACCESSIBILITY of abandoning
the present system"
No republican revisionist will dispute
these propositions. Sweeping changes in
the tariff schedules would undoubtedly in
jure the business interests of the country.
and therefore they are not demanded. Nor
are the reviSionistS advocating the aban-
donment OF the system of protection. 1t is
expressly stipulated by those who urge that
a partial and conservative revision of the
tariff should be made that protection must
at every point be kept in view.
We next find this paragraph:
yet on the other hand, where the in
dustrfal conditions SO frequently change
with must of necessity be the case, 1t
is a matter of prime Importance that We
should be able from time to time to adapt
our economic policy to the changed condi-
tons Our aim should be to preserve the
policy of a protective tariff, in which the
nation as a whole has acquiesced, and yet
wherever and whenever necessary to
change the duties in particular paragraphs
or schedules as matters of legislative de-
tail. if such change is dema nded by the in
tereSts of the nation as a whole"
Surely Industrial conditions have changed
most radically since the Dingley bill be-
came law. Our history shows nothing to
parallel it, 1t Is to be, doubted If the his
tory of the world does. We have passed
from the soup house to the banquet board.
We then were lost, but now are found;
were blind but now we see. All that is
asked is that law which was enacted to
set US on our feet shall be changed to per-
init free stride now that our strength has
returned and the path is clear. Some of
the means which were necessary to our
welfare then are necessary no longer.
Then follows this discoura ging para
graph:
I'm making any readjustment there are
certain important considerations which
cannot be disregarded. If a tariff law has
on the whole worked well, and if business
has prospered under it and is prospecting,
1t may be better to endure some inconve-
nences and inequalities for time than by
making changes to risk causing disturbance
and perhaps paralysis in the industries and
4. business of the country
This is in the spirit. though not in the
terms. of the standpatters. Mr.. Aldrich
and Mr.. Hanna corcede nothing The tariff
is all right all along the line. 1t works no
hardships to anybody. 1t must not be
touched while our prosperity continues.
Woodman. spare that tree: touch not a
single bough. The President seems open to
conviction that here and there dead limb
may be found. But he is tender about the
tree, and In effect advises against pruning
Well, all that can be said now in reply to
this deiiveranee is that the question is
looming up in Congress next winter, and
will afford text for some spirited and
pertinent debate. If the Presidents mes
sage is in line on this subject with his Min
neapolis speech we may expect a lively re-
Spouse 10 1t.