The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-20
Vermont and the Tariff

Elsewhere in this paper will be
found an editorial of the Springfield
Reporter in which rather strong dis
sent from the prevailing Vermont edi-
torial opinion on the tariff Is ex-
pressed. The esteemed contempor-
airy rather leaves the inference TO be
drawn that these editors who have
declared their disapproval of the Aid
rich-Payne law do not know why they
have done So Indeed, in the case
of the Messenger, which has the hon
or to be singled out by name, that |
suggestion hardly rests upon such I'M !
substantial ground as mere inference |
but comes precious near being /
specific, definitely and positive alleg- |
alton.
The esteemed Reporter also draws
what seems to this paper to be the
somewhat strained conclusion that
the disapproval of the tariff by these
Vermont editors is tantamount to a
condemnation of Vermonts delegat-
ion in Congress for voting for it. 1t
is easy to dispose Of this idea, it
seems to the Messenger, because 1t
is such a labored implication. 1t
/ hardly needs the vision of a states
man to be seen that. whereas any
citizen in his individual judgment
may dissent from and disapprove of
the tariff as a whole because of this
and that particular defect, yet, If he
were in Congress and situated where
he must finally vote for such a tariff
as he could get or the country would
have no tariff at all, he would prob
ably conclude to accept the larger
good and waive the minor evils. All
tariff legislation is a compromise and
everybody knows it, So that the
academic criticism of one man that
is not making the tariff is one thing,
and the final duty of another man
that is making the tariff is another
There are times when 1t is the man
ifest duty of legislators to be content
with compromise in order to secure
the larger good or get any good at
all. There are other times when II
is an equally manifest duty to vote
mo- on principle and for principle
and go down to defeat with colors
flying. Whether because there was
some dissatisfaction with the Payne
Aldrich bill our Vermont congress
men could have accomplished any
practical service for their constitu-
ents and the nation by voting mo"
and getting licked IL is too late now
to discuss They have not been cen.
sured by the Vermont press for their
vote on the tariff, and there is no ap-
| 6ignnCiftnn IN TtfN
them. But they are observing men
D. and they have doubtless taken notice
% that the tendency OF public opinion
here in Vermont is toward lower tar
, iffs and that they are expected Ia
, help get them hereafter.
! Now, as TO the reasons that any
|. Vermont editor could give for disap
proval of the Payne-Aldrich measure
. The Messenger can only speak foi
|. itself. II does not profess to have
any specialized knowledge OF tariff
!. schedules and II doubts very much 4
= the Reporter has. either. II doubts
= very much whether two dozen men II
. the whole state of Vermont today
y outside OF present or former ofiiciai
q and employees OF the customs servic,
;. know enough about tariff schedules
:, at this moment to conduct an intel
:, ligent and informing debate abou
n them. The tariff is peculiarly tech
~ nical institution Of government AM
= requires for its thorough understand
- ing mental predisposition to tn
II consideration application and study
Not one man in hundreds is incline
c that way. Men may even be success
a ful statesmen without being expert
\, on the tarin. Theodore Roosevelt
= himself admitted his general unh
n. ness for the mastery OF the subiec
IL and all through his administrator
- SHE'D away from Il.
), stu, for all that men that kno,
M little or nothing about the intrici
N cies Of tarin schedules may form an
"a express intelligent opinions abou
tariff principles. And that Is exac
ly the way the opinion OF the grea
body OF men about the tarii Is form
ed. That Is exactly the way IN
~ opinion Of the great bod; OF me
n about various other affairs Of govern
ment Is formed. And IL Is EVENT.
ally by the compelling force OF tina
public opinion that the tariff an
other laws are shaped by men tha
do not have to an in the technic,
details.
There has been a slow but certai
change OF base In Vermont on N
tariff question. When the believe
Mckinley, said In his Buffalo speec
, that the day OF exclusiyeness
' passed he expressed a sentiment a
= ready taking shape In Vermont, to-
II has certainly been growing sine
. The people are distrustful OF the pril