Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-01


same committee demonstrating the fall
lacy OF the conclusions reached by the
republicans.
Now II the tariff has no bearing on
prices, what sense Is there retaining
1t on food products? Why not take 1t
off? Let us try taking it Off, and see
what the effect will be. That Ia what
the people arc demanding to-day.
THE FARMER AND THE TARIFF.
If the tariff is not raising the price Of
farm products, why should the farmer
stand by the ultra-protective tariff sys-
TEN. Let tho farmer ask, What is the
Pnyne-Aldrich bill doing for me and
my product2" The republicans say IT has
nothing to do with tho present high
prices Of food products. Why should tho
farmer longer sustain it7
The farmer is fast finding out that the
tariff does not increase the value of his
product, but on the contrary increases
the cost of his product. for It increases
the cost Of everything he is compelled to
buy for the conduct of his business.
The farmer Is the last person In the
country to vote for high tariff. for tho
selling price of his product Is made in
tho markets of tho world
/ have many times wondered how the
farmers could stand M long as they have
for these high duties on the manufactured
products of our factories, when their
principle product was corn, wheat and
cotton. the prices Of which were deter
mined and have always been In the liver
pool market.
The middle west is insurging against
STAND pattism' and there is every reason
why we here In New England who want
free raw materials for our industries. and
free food products for the operatives In
those industries. should Join with them
in a revolution against the "stand-pat"
element in the Republican party.
LABOR AND THE TARIFF.
Labor is also getting It's eyes opened
on the tariff question. 1t is asking tho
question. What Is the tariff doing for
us? How are we henefiting by these
high duties, this high cost of living"
Labor has been made the stalking
horse of tho tariff system by the re-
publican leaders, who have gone up and
down the country telling what the tar
iff has done for labor.
and doing its own thinking. The result
is that labor is going to vote more In
diligently and Independently in the flu
ture.
Labor has been Hnding out that high
wages are due to It's high efficiency and
| organization, and not to the tariff. This
| is what tells. We have the highest class
of labor in the world. and with our i'm
| proved methods of manufacture we are
| able to compete in all the markets Of tho
world in all staple lines.
WHAT PRESIDENT TAFT ADMITS.
In President Taft's letter given out
Monday for tho republican campaign
| book. he says:
| The evil of excessive tariff rates, how
ever, showed itself in the temptation of
| manufacturers to combine and suppress
| competition. and then 10 maintain the
price so as to take advantage of the
| excess Of the tariff rate over the differ
ence between the cost OF production
abroad and here
| Here is the admission that the Repub-
| lican party under its present leadership
has gone over and is largely controlle ed
| by the monopolistic interests of tho coun-
| try; the tendency of It's legislation is toe
much In the interest of monopoly. and
| too little in the interest of the great mass
Of our people
MY OWN INDUSTRY.
am the friend of the corporation,
am corporation man myself, am at the
head Of several large corporations, which
| nj Of IN r.
If favors.-but | frankly say TO you tina;
the tariff is too high, higher than need
be on my own products. We could re.
tain the domestic market, and be in O
better position for securing a share OF the
| foreign markets. II the present duty was
practically cut in helf
In fact. the iron and steel noustry |.
In position in my judgment to compel,
| in all tho markets of the world and ne
longer needs protection. This IL not my
opinion alone for the greatest iron master
In the world. Andrew Carnegie. 30 sta &c
before the ways and means committee o
the House of Representatives when thu
hearings on the present tariff We're held
This is not only true of the iron an,
steel industry, but of the leather anc
boot and shoe Industries. as was testified
to before the same committee.
have contcnded for years that il
pra ctically all the great staple industries
We were in a position to compete in tn
world markets.
One OF the leading captains of industr.
in this country has said that the tar
If was the mother OF trusts. Whethe
this lie 30 or not, l am satisfied that
tariff too high for honest protection is
bad thing not only for the people, bu
for the industry itself. Bad for tn
producer, ard bad for the consumer
bad for capital and bad for labor.
Some one has got to look out for tn
consumer, notwithstanding Senator Lodg
Is reported to have said that there wa
no such class as consumers In this coun
try. The senator is likely to learn afte
the votes are counted this fail. that Their
are a few consumers in tho country. an
In Vermont who know how to vote 10
their own protection.
RECIPROCITY IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
DO you believe that the republican
leadership can DO trusted to carry gu
its promises? Can you trust them? Tina
Is the question. Remember what thel
record has been in the past. JudGmeI
must rest on their performance
What did they do with that great is
sue and policy of reciprocity? Didn't the
assassinate III Wasn't reciprocity "stat
bed In the back" in the House Of it
so-called friend, the Republican party
Let us briefly review the history c
reciprocity in the Republican party. !