The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-05-03
FRANK E. HOWE. Editor and Pub
DEMOCRATS AND THE TARIFF

DEMOCRATS AND THE TARIFF
To read Democratic newspapers
md to hear some Democrats talk one
would think that all that would be
necessary to correct the evils of gov
would be to put the Demo
Gratis into power at Washington.
Nothing could be further from the
truth as those who remember the
dark days Of 1898 to 1897 can abun-
dainty testify. Perhaps no one has
of late shown up the facts in this
connection as well as did Senator
Deliver of Iowa, the great insurgent
Republican leader of the upper
branch of Congress. A few days ago
in the Senate during the discussion
of the railroad rate bill Senator Ray
nor of Maryland ridiculed the insur-
gents in congress and asked them
why they didn't join the Democrats.
Senator Dolliver replied in part as
follows:
IF ever in my life | had a tempta-
ton to take advantage of the moral
intirmities of the Democratic party
which the Senator from Maryland
has so graphically described, and
which he seems to think are charac-
teristlc of his political associations,
II would not arise on the tariff ques-
ton, because I have been sitting
around here now nearly twenty-five
years and have not been unobservant
either OF men or things. In 1894 the
Democratic party had an ample OPP
portunity to do exactly what they
had proposed and exactly what Is
dear to the heart of the Senator from
Maryland today: and when they got
that opportunity, in control of the
Senate, in control of the executive
departments Ct the Government. the
former colleague Of the honored SEN
|ator from Maryland sat right there
Ondicating) and wrote a tariff law
higher than the tariff act of 1897,
nearly as high as the act of 1890, and
very much higher in many particu-
lars than the act recently put upon
the statute books by the amiable
combination which manages the bust.
ness Of the Senate.
In 1894, when the Democratic
party had unrestrained liberty in re
writing the tariff law, with which
they were dissatisfied. they allowed
the very interests concerned as ben
ehciaries Of the schedules to fix them
up in their own hands, and parse the
sentences in which they were express
ed. | read to the Senate in the ex
trordinary session an autograph let
ter In the handwriting of Governor
Dingley, now dead, in which, writinl
conhdentially to the chairman OF IN,
Board of General Appraisers. h,
said:
You are aware that the iron an,
steel manufactures wrote thos,
schedules In the Wilson bill. Yol
are aware that the cotton manufac
turers wrote that schedule in tn
Wilson bill
And so throughout that historl
measure, which was the first an
only fruitage the American peopl
have ever had OF Democratic fidellt
to their principles. we had a statut
written by its beReficlaries, and d,
nounced by the President, a grea
Democrat, as an act OF perfidy an
dishonor against the people of IN
United States. and especially thos
conhding citizens who had looked /
their party for tariff reformation
our law making here. II Is Just sue
little incidents which have stoppe
no every time | look toward N
Democratic side Of the Chamber +,
genuine tariff revision.
IT has been great comfort to n
that in some OF the positions we ha,
felt constrained to make. homes
minded men OF other political faitl
have shared at least In part our re
and our purpose. hut as far as ma
Ing an alliance with the Democrat
party Is concerned, the appearan,
OF that in the roll calls is the on
handicap the lnsurgent Republican
have ever had. Our adversarlC
OF our own political faith. al
most OF whom never read n tar
schedule In their lives, who could n
understand Il II they read Il, all uni
In saying He Is no Republican; he
voting with the enemy
Il win say. In all kindness to [
Senator from Maryland, that
would be winners today In half [
States OF the Union II Il were n
possible for cheap politicians to
out aud state that We are voting vi
the Democratic party We have n
lions OF people who are bound OF
by the name OF their party, and I
only argument that Is addressed
them is the stupid oanard that the
are n few men In Congress masqu
aiding as Republicans who are IN
In hand with the Democratic pai
and refusing TO LET n majority rule.
Il want TO thank the Senator m,
Maryland for this opportunity viii
he gives me to state publicly u
there has been no alliance: that |
Insurgents seek no alliance. exc,
the unity OF action which con
when two men agree as to what
right and as to what ought to be do
by the Government OF the Unit
States. | have great sympathy
the Democratic party. but very
tie confidence In Il, as at pres,
managed, and will tell you why.
has been without any experience
the larger responsibilities OF z
ornment In this later generation.
have got to have. | think. two pol
cal parties In the United States, {
OF them TO conduct the adminisi
ton and go forward with the pul
business, and the other To stand
attention at all hours, with eyes OF
to see that the public business
we'll and truly transacted. The
publican party Is In power and
QpuNrn1 madam unnfnu a. taV,