Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-28
Necessity For Revision of Tariff.

Necessity For Revision of Tariff.
 The consequent material develop ment has greatly changed the condi- tions under which many articles de scribed by the schedules of the tariff are now produced. The tariff in a number of the schedules exceeds the difference between the cost O. produc- tion of such articles abroad and at home, including a reasonable profit to the American producer. The ex- cess over that difference serves no useful purpose, but offers tempta- ton to those who would monop- olize the production and the sale of such articles in this country. to profit by the excessive rate. On the other hand. there are some few other schedules in which the tariff is not sufficiently high to give the measure of protection which they should receive upon Republican principles. and as to those the tariff should be raised A revision os the tariff undertaken upon this principle. which is at the basis of our present business system. begun promptly upon the incoming of the new administra- ton, and considered at special ses- sion with the preliminary inyestiga- tions already begun by the appropriate committees of the House and Senate. will make the disturbance of business 1 incident to such change as little as possible.
 Democratic Tariff Plan and It's Bad
 Effect on Business Conditions.
 The Democratic party in its platform 1 has not had the courage of It's previous convictions op the subject of the tariff. denounced by it in 1904 as system Of the robbery of the many for the benefit of the few, but it does declare its in- tention to change the tariff with a view to reaching a revenue basis and thus to depart from the protective sys- tenn. The introduction into power of a party with this avowed purpose can l not but halt the gradual recovery from our recent financial depression and pro- duce business disaster compared with which our recent panic and depression will seem small indeed.
 The Farmer and the Republican Party
 As the Republican platform says, the welfare of the farmer is vital to that of the whole country. One of the strongest hopes of returning prosperity is based on the business which his ] crops are to afford. He is vitally m terested in the restraining of excessive ! and unduly discriminating railroad rates, in the enforcement of the pure food laws, in the promotion of scien fife agriculture, and in increasing the comforts of country life, as by the extension of free Rural Delivery. Tho policies of the present Administration
 which have most industriously pro
 noted all these objects. cannot fail tt commend themselves to his approval
 and it is difficult to see how with his
 intelligent appreciation of the threa
 to business prosperity involved 1T
 Democratic success at the polls he car
 do otherwise than give his full ant
 hearty support to the continuation o
 the policies of the present Administra
 tion under Republican auspices.
 Labor and What the Republican Part.
 Has Done For lt.
 We come now to the question Of Ia
 bor. One important phase of the poll
 cies of the present Administration ha
 been m anxiety to secure for the wage
 earner an equality of opportunity an'
 such positive statutory protection q
 shall place him on a level in dealinl
 with his employer. The Republican
 party has passed an employers liabill
 ty act for interstate railroads. and ha
 established an eight hour law for gov
 ernment employees and on government construction. The essence of the rs
 form effected by the former is the abe iition of the fellow-servant rule. an The introduction of the comparatiy , negligence theory by which an en ployee injured in the service of his em , ployer does not lose all his right to re cover because of slight negligence ol . his part. Then there is the act provid , ing for compensation for injury to gov ernment employees. together with tn f various statutes requiring safety appl | ances upon interstate commerce raj i roads for the protection of their en ployees, and limiting the hours c their employment. These are all ir stances of the desire of the Republica party to do justice to the wage-earnel
 Doubtless more comprehensive meas
 ure for compensation of goyernmen employees will be adopted in the fl
 ture: the principle in such cases ha !. been recognized. and in the necessaril a somewhat slow course of legislatio win be more fully embodied in dennit 0 statutes.
 Interest of Employer and Employs Only Differ In Respect to Terms { Employment.
 . The interests of the employer an ' the employee never differ except whe ! it comes to a division of the joint prof ! of labor and capital into dividends an wages. This must be constant sourt 2 : of periodical discussion between th 2 2 employer and the employee. as indee ' arc the other terms of the employmen . Advantage of Union.
 . To give to employees their proper p IT sition in such a controversy, to enab e them to maintain themselves again if employers having great capital the . may well unite. because in union thel s is strength and without 1t each ind e vlduaI Iaborer and employee would 'e helpless. The promotion of industri