Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-01
PRINCIPLES WELL STATED.
Col. Albert Clarke on Tariff Revision, and
the Use Of Money In Political Cam

Col. Albert Clarke on Tariff Revision, and
the Use Of Money In Political Cam
paIgns.
At the recent meeting of the Home
Market club at its rooms in Boston, Col.
Albert Clarke, the secretary, in submit
ting his annual report, spoke of the va
rious movements against the schedules OF
the Dingley tariff which have developed
during the past year. and especially of
the work OF the agitators for revision
and reciprocity in the Massachusetts state
campaign. The result he believed to have
been a distinct gain for the Republican
party and the essential principles of pro-
lection because It had cleared the air of
compromises by the recent Republican
success, Massa achusetts stands for the
preservation of non-sectional and impair
tial protection, but willing to have the
tariff changed whenever and not before
there are enough good business reasons
to justify It,"
In this connection Col. Clarke added:
Recent discussions have made one thing
evident which 1 am afraid has been too
much overlooked, and that is the neces-
sity of constantly teaching the elemen-
tary principles of the tariff and the ef-
fects of different tariff changes upon the
employments of the people. There are
millions of voters today who were too
young to become interested in these mat
ters when they were so much in evidence
ten or fifteen years ago."
In regard to the work to be done in po-
litical campaigns and the necessary and
legitimate use of money Col. Clarke said:
zone other subject may be opportunely
and appropriately considered in this re-
port, and that is the recent revelations
as to the raising of enormous campaign
funds. 1t shocks the moral sense to dis
cover that either of the national parties
should deem II necessary or desirable to
raise and expend in a three or four
months campaign 900, or even 81,
100000. Not 100000 of IL is applied to the
instruction of the people in the issues of
the campaign. The rest is supposed to go
for work, two thirds of which should
rest upon the party spirit and voluntary
patriotism of the people. When men
have to be hired to support their prin-
ciples and candidates, popular govern
ment Is in danger. The more money in
the party treasury the more workers will
have to be employed. This has become
the most fragrant evil of the age. The
one remedy for it is to withhold the mon
ey. If but a small part of it is then de
voted to the constant educational work
of organizations like the Home Market
club devoted to the investigation of pol
iucal science and the dissemination of its
truths. no worthy cause will suffer and
no deserving party will go down. A
voter who is convinced stays put but a
voter who is paid must be paid again.
Every wise and meritorious measure of
government-indeed the government itself
depends upon the intelligence and virtue
of the people. All our campaigns ought
to be conducted with a view TO promoting
that intelligence and virtue. rather than
to getting up a grand scramble for scrap
ing Oft a temporary victory"
Could this whole subject be placed in
a truer light or stated in fewer words
than in this paragraph?