The Washington herald., 1909-07-12
BIGELOW SCORES PROTECTION
Says Revision Downward Is & De.
lusion.
In Letter 20 Tariff Reform League
He Declares PrOtectiOnist Al
ways Wants More Protection,

A recent letter from the chairman OF
the tariff reform committee Of the Re
form Club Of New York. referring 20 the
committees work and asking for hnsn-
cisl support. has brought out spirited
reply from the venerable John BigelOw.
who. Notwithstanding his great age,
speaks OUT vigorously and boldly against
anything that looks like temporizing with
the protective tarin system
Tie tariff reform committee Is As
aggressively in opposition 10 the protec-
tive system as is Mr. Bigelow. and IN
January. 1865. adopted a statement OF prin-
ciples which denounced the protective
tarif system because II uses government
powers 10 subsidiZe favOrites al the eX-
pense Of other citizens. and also as Uncon-
stitutiCnaI and declared that the pTotec-
tive system should be attacked until de-
stroyed. and the committee urged the
substitution therefor Of more honest and
equitable revenue methods. and pledged
themselves to strive for complete COM
mercial freedom
The committees statement 20 which
Mr.. Bigelow takes exception, was that no
hope or expectation Of a tariff revision
downward was expressed. Mr.. Bigelow' :
letter. in part. is as follows.
Byron " Holt. Esl.. Chairman Tsris Reform
Committee New YOk-
Dear Sir ] have rad the circular q the Ts-l1
Reform Committee of which you are chairman.
with great attention and With entire respect for
the motives b. which mauifestiy. = inspsrec.
Bur ] have 10 faith revision Of the taria.
downward OF IN any other direction. but regard Il
. as vicious altoCether. morally and ecunoulcally
evil and for eTn only good. you are entitled 70
an explanation of ny indisposition % associate
myself With you IN your efforts
Your hope q a revision downward IS IDLE
dream as idie as baying the moon for rain. 10
exrect 6 reduction Of the tariff in this country
L. % expect a dipsomaniac % claEnor f0r water
instead u whisky The I~otcctionis always ssnts
more prctecrion- Hamilton :elt Il neoeszTy 70
apologize 10 the nation for I-CTEsng a tariff
Of "a pr cert few articles. a list Of which
did not Occupy The whole q one side 0f a letter
sheet. That vas IN L92 More thar century
has elapsed. and every excuse originally presented
fer a t2Eif has long been Outlawed. and YET OUr
tafid eusIantly increased until ODe-half q
our revenue Is colected ron or imports alone.
and upon no other p-etext but simply Trotec-
( ton Tor the sake q p-otectiou. That haH =
/ taken for the most part directly from the ITO
ducing class. which II impoTsrishes 20 enrich the
protected. who nay properly be called our slave
owners
make no rrs,ersions 20 being a pr0phet and
therefore I viii only ask what reason is there for
hoping for a delversnoe from the unTighteoUs bur
then q urotection by any less severe TRIALS than
l
the Constitution q the United States provided
by our conscT1pt fathers who framed II. What mo
tive had the Southern planter 70 50 20 var foT
the protection of slavery thst the Republican party
has not far greater % fEht for protection!
Your circular speaks Of the CONVERSIONS Of Re
puhicans % free trade. but Il says nothing Of then
faculty FOX debauehing Denoc-ats- With the eEo--
nous patronage q the Federal government u Is
I the baiance Of power iu every Congress The
pr0tecti0nists wiz chserfully support any measure
however abosninable. 20 secure enough Democratic
votes 10 maintain or increase the tariff.
For these reasons I am not sure that we car
hope for any better result from this extra session
have their way without any successful Obstruction
and may give Us UlonStro1s tariff bill they
src capable o. inditirg.
Perhaps in time national insolvency. towsrd which
we drifting viii crazy recklessness. may save
rs from another civil war Nothing else VIII AL
appeals fog a revision ard q reduction q the
tariff sre IKE appeals 10 inebriates not 20 drink
20 excess. % burglars not 20 burEie much. @
thieves not 70 steal often. % sEindsrs not tr
Swindle the chief q police the judges q tbs
criminal courts.
In each and ereTy case these appeals are no;
merely a federation q crime. bgt excuse for H.
inst as the toieEation oi slavery blinded mere thar
half the nation for nearly a century % the faci
that slavery not only a disgrace 10 any nation
I but 4 violation Of the Divine law Which had q
be eIpiated by trials proportiOned 10 is eno-nify
When your reform committee IS prepared 70 takc
/ a firm stand against any tsrin upon inpcrts. e
make every haroor on or eoo0 miles of seacoast a
/ free 90 the commerce of the world those q
New YORK are 20 those q New Jersey. q thos,
/ q Pennsylvania are % those Of Virginia. I shall
/ be happy to Join you and DO what can q p-o
note the suooess Of your labors u such . wors
/ ] should have the satisfaction of knowing that
was not even indirectly c0untenaDciug a rlciora
system q raxstion. aiso that was helping 20 pa
! our Statesmen upon an inquiry for sources O
revenue that were net tainted with every crime
save murder q which highWsymen have ever beer
condemnsd by the laws Of God and nan. Your
vcrJ respectfnIlJ.