The morning journal-courier., 1908-09-07
Monday, september !, inos.
CONNECTICUT AND THE TARIFF,

CONNECTICUT AND THE TARIFF.
 United States senator Morgan c. Bulkeley of this state, realizing that tariff legislation in the near future Is one of the certaintes in the political life of the country has undertaken to instruct himself with regard to the wishes and needs of his constituents. He has sent to the manufacturers and business men of Connecticut, and pre- sumably to those who while not in active commercial business have made something of study of the tar If, at least from Its moral point of view, circular letter stating the in formation he wants to obtain
 That Senator Bulkeley Is serious in this attempt to acquire the informa- ton which Is essential to his accu- rately representing his constituency is shown by the character of the in quiries. He asks first if. in the opin- ion of the person addressed, the tariff schedules generally should be revised. or whether certain schedules should be treated. This leads to the next source of information, what schedules. If any, should be revised. He then wants to know whether the levelng process should be undertaken by higher or lower rates, or by removing rates altogether. The next question is an extremely personal one: Would your interests be benefited or injured by continuance of the present tar iff?" And then in conclusion this What, If any changes in the pres ent tariff would you suggest as relat- ing to or affecting the particular in dustry in which you are engaged 2" Obviously Senator Bulkeley hopes by marshallng these answers before him in judicial spirit of assimilation to formulate policy, which may be said to represent Connecticut sentiment on the tariff question
 Some people will become at once skeptical as to the value of this method of getting at the question, though not doubting the desire of all concerned to reach a conclusion which will be helpful Personal opinions based on personal needs and fears more often embarrass then aid in the determination of proposition, which must necessarily be approached from the point of view of the welfare of the many. While the general defense of the protective policy of the coun- try has been that 1t has built up American industries and multiplied American capital, 1t cannot be said that in framing our tariff laws the federal halls of legislation have been controlled by that broad and generous view of the rights of the greatest number. There are too many in- stances where 1t is apparent that the schedules have been determined by the selfish demands and wishes of favored industries The iron and steel industry is an illustration of the truth of this assertion not to men ton many others which might be mentioned.
 To permit, then, personal needs and fears to influence In the working out of fair tariff scheme may be to fur ther complicate a situation already seriously complicated by the shame Jess manner in which the whole sub ject has been neglected for nearly a quarter of a century It would have been a less difficult task to separate selfish from general interests had the revision been undertaken when presi
 
 dent Cleveland advised 1t, and before the protective policy had contributed its immense influence to the stimulat- - ing of commercial genius along lines. which have since been the direct cause of the depression from which the country Is yet suffering In other words 1t may be questioned if Sena- tor Bulkeley has hit upon a plan of investigation which can do for him what a more expert investigation would do for him necessarily. It may further be questioned whether such an expert investigation as we obvious ly have in mind would not be com pelled to give less weight to personal needs and fears than those the sena- tor has addressed can be expected to do. Then, again, it is very hard for