Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-03
FAIRBANKS ON TARIFF.
Address at Home Market Banquet ii
Boston-Reciprocit

Address at Home Market BANQUET in
Boston-Reciprocity.
Before an audience of more than three
thousand people Vice President-eect Fair
banks of Indiana defined the attitude OF
the republican administration on the tariff
question at the annual banquet of the
Home Market Club in Mechanics Hall in
Boston Thursday night
Vice President-elect Fairbanks said in
part:
I'VE have sought to build up the home
market first and thereafter secure a fair
share of the markets abroad. We have be-
lieved that in order to command foreign
markets We must have strength enough to
control our own. We have worked from
the center outward, contrary to the policy
of those who antagonize the protective sys-
tenn.
I'VE have never been Indifferent to pos
sessing in the fullest possible degree our
share of the markets of other countries
We were never in better position to push
our peaceful commercial conquests to the
uttermost parts of the earth than We are
today. With one hand We safeguard the
domestic market-more essential to us than
all others-abd with the other we reach
out for those which lie beyond our borders
This is predicated upon sound national pol
Icy, upon considerations of the highest ma
tional interest. 1t may be said by some to
be selfish policy. 1t is, however. only
that enlghtening selfishness which is the
inspiration Of trade and commerce
Nv lille the tariff question is an old one
1t is of continual and vital interest. 1t must
not be overthrown or surrendered either by
ignorance or prejudice; 1T must be main
tanned by education, by intelligent discus
sion. The tariff issue was sharply present.
ed in the platforms Of the republican and
democratic parties in the recent campaign.
The republican party stood squarely by its
protective policy, while the democratic
party denounced protection as a robbery
The republican party insisted that rates
of duty should be readjusted only when
conditions have SO changed that the public
interest demands their alteration while
the democratic party favored a revision
and gradual reduction of the tariff Re-
publican alterations are to be made when
necessary, along protective lines, while
democratic revision means the elimination
of the protective principle
THE republican party has revised tariff
schedules in the past when revision was es-
sential, and it will not hesitate In the future
to subject them to careful scrutiny and al
teration, so that our protective system may
De just in its operation. Whenever change
of schedules Is essential in the public In
be made advisedly; it will be made with
full knowledge, not in response to mere
sentiment, but agreeably to sound economic
necessity. Any other policy is obviously
unwfse and disturbing in It's tendency.
1.-THE republican party adheres to the doc
trine of commercial reciprocity, that reci-
procity which tends to expand our COM
merce and to develop American industry in
the interest of American labor and Ameri-
can capital. 1t holds to that reciprocity
which is the 'handmaiden of protection,
but not to that which is but another form
of free trade, and which is hostile to the
protective system"
Gov. Bates. ex-secretary Long and Dr.
Montague also spoke.