The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-30
5rrmunt MNrhrnaa.
THE TARIFF PLANK.

plank reported by the Vermont Re-
publican platform committee?" was
asked of Col. Albert Clarke of the
Home Market Club.
Il do not think the convention will
adopt it,, was the reply.
why not?"
Because it rests upon the false as
sumption that schedules are adjusted
by politics. The fixing of tariff
policy is unavoidably party matter,
but the adjustment of schedules is
and always has been controlled by
business considerations.
Then you think that the tariff can
not be taken out of politics?"
1T never can and it ought not to
be. 1t is of such vital concern to the
whole people that they will always
wish at some intervals OF time to
vote upon it. This policy is i'm
bedded in the Constitution, which re-
auires that all revenue bills must or
iginate in the House of Representa-
tives, and that a new House shall be
elected every two years. In view OF
this Abraham Lincoln said the tariff
question will be with us so long as
the government stands.
What do you think the Vermont
the proposed resolution"
81 would rather not say They are
quite capable of writing their own
platform. But ! notice that IN other
States the Republicans are reaffirm-
ing their allegiance to protectlon ana
approving the Payne law as a goou
embodiment of the doctrine.
Colonel Clarke is former YER
monter. a distinguished and an estl-
mable gentleman, but he is welded to
extreme high protection ideas and the
Journal believes that he is out of
touch with the spirit and needs of the
times in his tariff views. 1t is evil
dent that he is not in sympathy with
the President or with the majority OF
the Republican party in Congress, be-
cause President Taft has been very
urgent in his desire to secure Tariff
Board and Congress has authorized
such body and has appropriated
S250,000 for its use in investigating
conditions bearing upon our rates of
duty. If the State Convention is re-
sponsive to public sentiment through
cut the State it will adopt the tariff
plank offered.
The manner in which general tariff
bills are finally passed is a matter of
common knowledge. 1t has been case
Of barter and dicker and trade. The
tnen who wanted a high duty on steel,
and the men who wanted high duty
on sugar, and wool, and cotton goods,
and .pineapples and various other
things got together and by mutual
aid secured a majority of votes. In
this way it was possible to secure
rates far higher than were needed to
cover the difference between wages
here and abroad. Thus representa-
tives of powerful interests, who had,
perhaps, contributed large sums to a
campaign fund, were able to gain pro-
fits to which in fairness they were
not entitled, and which represented
handsome returns on the campaign
contribution invested. A general
tariff bill must be the result of a COM
promise. 1t is a battle of selfish in
terests. and in the struggle the pos
sibilities for deals are legion. Much
as good men regret the fact, it is al
most Impossible to prevent such
trades and bargains with the newt
able scandals that follow when a gen.
eral bill is passed.
On the other hand, if, as proposed
by the platform offered by the Com
mittee on Resolutions, non-partisan
information is obtained, in an honest
and fair minded manner and that evil
dence shows the necessity of chang
ing the rates of duty in two or three
schedules, it will be possible to act
upon them with reasonable fairness.
There will be no such temptation to
or opportunity OF bargain and dicker,
as there is when hundreds of sched-
ules are opened
Colonel Clarke thinks schedules are
adjusted by politics. Perhaps they
have been but this ought not to be
true. The tariff no longer is the party
issue as it was in 1883 or 1892. Some
Southern Democrats who want high
duties may now be counted on to vote
pretty solidly with high protection
lists in the Republican camp. The high
protection sentiment is growing
stronger among Southern Democrats
and weaker among Republicans
OF course revenue bills must orig
mate in the House of Representatives
but in the present condition of public
sentiment the recommendations of an
honest and efficient Tariff Board
would not be lightly rejected by Con-
sress. The reception accorded the
Payne bill shows that the country has
stood just about all it will in the ma
ture of tariff dickers and scandals.
The Tariff Board feature has been a
godsend to the Republican party. be-
cause it indicates a determination 10
inaugurate a new tariff policy, and it
is doing much to avert popular wrath
The adoption of this plank will give
to Vermont leadership toward saner
and fairer tariff methods and some
very desirable advertising. Already