The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-02
TARIFF STANDS
AS AT PRESENT
POLICY OF ADMINISTRATION
is OUTLINED BY VICE PRESIDENT
ELECT FAIRBANKS.

For His Party the Vice President
Elect Claims All the Credit for
the Prospective Panama Canal.
Says All Portions of the Country
viii BE Observation-Disclosures of Duty
Will stand Unless the s'Public In
terest Demands an Alteration"
Boston, Dec. before an audience
of more than 5000 people, Vice Presi-
dent-elect Charles w. Fairbanks of In
diana defined the attitude of the Re-
publican administration on the tariff
question at the annual banquet of the
Home Market Club in Mechanics Hall
tonight. Among the other guests
were Gov. Bates of Massachusetts;
former Secretary of the Navy John d.
Long, w. H. Montague of Ontario.
privy counsellor of Canada; Governor
elect John McLane of New Hampshire,
and Governor-elect Henry Roberts of
Connecticut.
The speakers We're Senator Fairbanks,
Gov. Bates, Secretary Long and DR..
Montague.
Senator Fairbanks, said in part:
I'VE look forward with confidence
and satisfaction to the early completion
of the isthmian canal, which will in
crease in a large measure the COM
merce of the United States. The At
lantic and the Pacific seaboards will
feel in an especial degree the impetus
given to their trade by the construction
of this great thoroughfare between the
two oceans. Every section of the re-
public will share in some measure the
benefits to accrue from the completion
of this enterprise, which will stand
forever as a tribute to the genius, the
constructive craftsmanship and the
courage of the Republican party.
Beyond Dreams of Optimists.
"All of the powers of American di-
plomacy have been invoked to enlarge
the opportunity for trade in the dis
tant Orient. We find there a vast
theater of commercial enterprise, and
If we are but true to our opportunities
our commerce in and beyond the Pa
cific is destined to attain proportions
beyond our most optimistic dreams.
while the tariff question is an old
one, it is of continual and vital inter-
est. 1t must not be overthrown or
surrendered either by ignorance or
prejudice; it must be maintained by
education, by intelligent discussion.
The tariff issue was sharply presented
in the platforms of the Republican and
Democratic parties in the recent cam
paign. The Republican party stood
squarely by its protective policy, while
the Democratic party denounced pro-
lection as a robbery The Republi-
can party insisted that rates of duty
should be readjusted only when con-
ditions have so changed that the pub
lie interest demands their alteration:
while the Democratic party favored a
revision and a gradual reduction of the
tariff. Republican alterations are TO
be made, when necessary, along pro-
tective lines. while Democratic revis-
ion means the elimination of the pro-
tectiye principle.
Will Revise When Necessary.
1.-THE Republican party has revised
vision was essential, and it will not
hesitate in the future to subject them
to careful scrutiny and alteration so
that our protective system may be
just in it's operation. Whenever
change of schedules is essential in the
public interest, the alterations will be
made; it will be made advisedly; it will
be made with full knowledge, not in
response to mere sentiment, but agree
ably to sound economic necessity. Any
other policy is obviously unwise and
disturbing in it's tendency.
1.-THE Republican party adheres to
the doctrine of commercial recipro-
city, that reciprocity which tends to
expand our commerce and to develop
American industry in the interest of
American labor and American capital
1t holds to that reciprocity which is the
'hand-maiden of protection, but not
to that which is but another form of
free trade and which is hostile to the
protective system"
Canada Favors Protection.
DR.. w. Fl. Montague of Toronto said
that the Dominion had tried all forms
of trade relations from reciprocity to
free trade. All these have been drop
ped in favor of protection. Since the
time when protection was firmly
established the country has seen more
prosperity than ever before. DR..
Montague said there was a desire in
Canada for reciprocity.
Ex-Secretary Long favored the
adjustment" Of the tariff to the needs
of the time.