New-York tribune., 1910-11-04
DIX REACHES THE TARIFF
Says He Asked For Ultimate Free
Trade in Lumber and Paper.
SPEAKS FOR HUPPUCH. TOO
Asserts Thai Partner Wanted
Duty or 2roduct Raised with
Raw Material Increase

John A Dix explained his position on the
tariff yesterday to large crowd OF Staten
Islanders who turned out in the big storm
TO meet him ar the Richmond County Dem
ocratic headquarters at New Brighton He
said they had been so kind to him in dis
regarding the weather that he was going
70 tell them something he had not said TO
any one else during the camaign, and
would not say to any one else
Il have been accused of many thing
he continued. and among them ie being
two faced on the tariff. I have not replied
to these charges. and 7 do not intend 70
reply 70 them. but I am going to try -
repay your pains ny telling YOU a little his
tory that my opponents might have brought
ont If they had wanted TO be perfectly fair
and tell everything that the records of
Congress show.
''I have said that I am for a. revision of
the tariff downward. in my acceptance of
the nomination I said that I stood on the
tariff plank of the Rochester platform and
I have been perfectly consistent in that
stand ever since I knew anything about the
tariff.
Il am on record in a letter TO the Ways
and Means Committee as asking for re-
duction Of the tariff on lumber OF 10 per
cent a year for ten years. by which time
lumber would be free. I em on record in
a letter to the Ways and Means Committee
as asking for a reduction Of the tariff on
paper of % per cent year for five years.
by which time paper would be on the free
list
I explained in that letter that I asked
that the tariff be reduced gradually in or
der that business men might have time to
adjust themselves to new conditions. I eI-
planned that a sudden change would upset
business conditions, but that II The change
were gradual business men could adjust
themselves.
My partner. Mr.. Huppuch, Mr- W. A
Huppuch. chairman OF the state COMMITTEES.
asked that the tariff on paper be raised
But he put in a proviso that has not been
quoted. He asked that the tariff on paper
he raised provided the tariff on the raw
material was raised
But I am damned because that letter
was written. I asked that the tariff he
reduced, and I am damned because my
partner asked for fair treatment. because
he wanted the tariff on the finished product
raised If the tariff on the raw material
vas raised"
reading Of the letter signed hv Mr..
Huppuch last night failed to show the con-
ditiou spoken Of by Mr. Dix The letter
called for increased duties partly because
Or the cost Of raw materials and suggested
that II would not be Just TO other manu-
fsCtureTs to lower the duties on raw mate
rsls. L said nothing about any plan TO
raise the duties on raw materials and did
not suggest that its petition was in any
degree conditional on any such raise
After the meeting Mr.. Dix explained that
the letter asking for q gradual reduction
Of the tariff on lumber and paper was writ
ten on the letter paper Of the /. Thomson
Company in its Albany offices.
cit was signed by my brother-in-law.' -
he said, hut was consulted before II was
written and II had nv approval
ct was IN the hospital at the time, re
covering from 2 surgical operation. and
they talked 70 me over the long distance
telephone 7 have some Republican part
ners, you know, and we don't always agree.
They di6 not want the tariff lowered, but
I insisted on the letter being written as It
was, and I had my way IN asking for z
tariff revision downward against heir op-
position"
Before going to Staten Island Mr Dix
went 70 Brooklyn and spoke in the Brook
Ivn Real Estate Exchange at q meeting
arranged by the BROOKLYN Business Mems
Association. He said there that the notion
had been generally accepted Of late years
that good government consisted in putting z
reform laws on the statute books. but that
IN fact the people were suffering from over
taxation and Il would be his work. should
he he elected. to try 70 reduce the burden
Of taxation and give the state the same
kind ~ su administration that great
business received from those in control
- IT,