The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-30
PLUMLEY IS NOMINATED
Continued from page ~

! Means made careful study of econom-
ic conditions, heard a vast amount of
testimony and the House bill was a
very fair and satisfactory result. It
was not a perfect measure but it at
tempted to be. 1t was built with that
end in view. For the first time in the
history of tariff revision the ultimate
consumer became an important factor
and took his place as one of the par
, ties to the controversy
In the main it was revision down
| ward-no honest and fair critic can
claim the contrary. Higher rates
dies, wines and diamonds, but on the
necessities of life no change was made
which requires penny to be added
to the retail price. A large amount
was placed upon the free list and it
is fact that since it went into OPP
Grafton about one-half of all impor-
tations are absolutely free.
| During the discussion and after the
debates ended our opponents-the
| Democrats-offered no substitute,
made no general proposition Offering
as they confine themselves now to
criticism. 1t is seventeen years since
| the Gorman-Wilson bill when the only
popular and prosperous industry was
the establishment of free soup houses
fo' the starving poor and the chang
ing of the great army of industriaIs
into motley Coxey's army of power
ty and discomfort a. skW -
Our opponents are not constructions
lists. they can criticise but they do not
create. They read history but they
do not make it. When there is be-
fore them an object they can object;
but where in the eXigencies of the
nation project is necessary they can
not project. Their muscles of for
ward movement are very weak, their
real power is registered only in their
kick.
! Every Vermont interest was care
fully safeguarded by the Payne Tariff
and there is in this State no reason
for an idle spindle. an unused ham
mer, implement or machine of any
kind.
Your Representatives did not obtain
the bill they sought in many particu-
lars, but all laws affecting economic
questions. especially in country so
| large and with such diverse interests
as ours must he a mere register of
compromises. 1t is not the best law
possible, but it is the best law that
could be then attained Your Repre-
sentatives expect with a new commits
sion and fresh mandate they can
secure Improvement in schedules
which should be changed 1t is their
hope that never again will there be a
general revision of the tariff, but that
hereafter schedules will be changed
as the necessity and the propriety is
made to appear from information and
knowledge Systematically obtained. 1t
| is yet impossible in the Senate to
change single schedule only, but it
| is thought that under joint rule this
can be done, and already discussion
and thought are taking form along
this line
1t is true that prices are high but
the new tariff is not responsible for
these prices. There is such a thing
as finding the finished product too
cheap with no money to buy even at
low price because there are no en-
ployers and no employed. no seller
because there is no purchaser. A
memory which reaches back to the
conditions which followed the DEM
ocratic tariff of 1887 needs no IL
lustration and would avoid all dem
onstration.
The 61st Congress is one of large
achievement Few Congresses can
show better record. Undoubtedly
its chief legislative act at its second
session is the so-called Railroad Law
which creates court of commerce
to consider appeals from the Inter
staate Commerce commission, these
appeals being in charge of the De-
partment of Justice with permission
to the shippers to intervene for their
prtection and with a right in the In
terstate Commerce Commission to sup
port its own order. Telegraphs and
telephones are placed under the law
as common carriers with all poYos 20
grant special favors and privileges
taken from them 1t prohibits
greater rate for a short than for q
long haul except for cause shown to
the satisfaction of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. The justice, pro-
pliety and equity of all freight rates
are subject to the examination and
approval or disapproval of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission which
has right to suspend their operation
for period of 10 months, during
which the examination may he had.
1t has many other important features
which | will not take your time to
state which seem fair and just to the
a