Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-10-21

~ "a
WILLIAM d. ALLISON.
lon II ranked next in importance to the
tariff and was equally maligned and
abused ey Democrats. who were OPP
posed To existing conditions working
for prosperity.
In opening his speech Senator Allison
said that the campaign in Iowa this
year was remarkably devoid of State
issues because of the fact that the
Cummins administration had been 50
efficient that there was no opportunity
for criticism. In fact, he said the Dem
0crats in their convention had by inn
plcation complimented TIE Governor
and his other State officials.
After an extended reriew of the
growth of the present tariff system to
Its greatest efficiency Senator Allison
said
1T is contended thai the protective
policy is the basis of what are known
as trust combinations in our country,
and that if these are TO be crippled or
destroyed the most effective weapon is
free trade in trust made goods-sthat is
TO say, that goods produced in other
countries of character and quality sim
liar to those produced by a trust in
this country shall be placed ON the
| free list The effect of this, of course,
would be TO place all goods of this
character imported EN- the free list
! whether competitive goods were made
here by a trust combination or by in
dependent factories. competing with
the trust. thus allowing world wide
competition i'm This class of goods.
This plan Is Impossible of execution,
even If otherwise effective, rs it would
lead to endless contests and conflicts
in the custom houses and in the courts
on the question of what are trust made
goods and what are goods of like char
| acter produced here and also produced
abroad
Repeal Would Cripple All.
According TO the census of 1900,
about y per cent of manufactured ar
ticles We're made by what we call
trusts in this country. That percent
age has Increased since 1900. but GER
1ainly does not now exceed 20 per cent
of the total product But If the Dem
ocratic proposition were enacted into
law those producing the remaining 50
per cent in competition with the trusts
would be punished and crippled and
it may be destroyed through no fault
of their own. but by the action of the
/ trusts producing the 20 per cent
IF tariff duties are necessary to pro-
tect our producers against foreign com
petition. then Iivt only those who are
in combination here. but also the indie
pendent manufacturer, pdst suffer
alike if the necessary protection is
withdrawn. Is 1t possible TO deyise
more effective method of destroying
the protective system than this pro-
posed. insid GUS method of withdraw
ing protection from trust made goods
THE basis Of this proposal is false
one. The tariff Is not the foundation OF
these combinations. nor does ii pro-
mote them in any material degree.
Whatever their origin, It cannot be
found in our tariff laws. If it were
so found, then these combinations
would be confined TO those manufac-
turers benefited by the tariff. But 1t
80 happens that many of these COM
binations and the largest of them.
have no relation whatever TO the tariff.
but have grown up without tariff pro-
lection, and wholly outside OF ii.
"The Standard Oil Trust is a consplc-
uOus example of this. There is not now
and never has been any duty on its
product"
Showing that the slight tariff former
~ put on one grade Of anthracite was
now repealed, the Senator continued:
TT is said there is a beef combina-
ton that is able TO control prices and
limit production because Of the tariff
There is a duty upon live cattle import
ed. The repeal Of this duty would help
rather than iniufe this combination.
The repeal of the dIy on dressed
meats would not IN the slightest degree
affect its control over the market to
the extent 1t now has There is no
place from which dressed meat could De
imported in competition with our pack
ers. We export to Canada more cattle
and meat products than we import from
there
The cotton tie trust Is compls ined Of
as a monopoly in the Southern States,
wac e raw cotton is produced. This
monopoly has no benefit from the tar
III. as cotton ties are on the free list.
The Wiison-Gorman bin put agri
cultural implements on. the free list,
with no effect whatever upon the price
at home or abroad The present duty