The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-29
SENATOR lAFOtlETTE
TALKS FOR Sane REVISION
OF TARIFF SCHEDULES
Says Experts Should Always Be
In Field To Investigate
: Changing Conditions.
SPEAKS IN NORW AK.
Changes Should Be Made on
Correct Economic Princi-
pies, He Declares.
SPEAKS IN NORW AK.

NORWALK, o., Dec. Ex-senator
LaFollette, OF Wisconsin. who seeks
the Republican presidential nom!na'
lion, and who has the backing of the
progressive wing or the party, spoke
TO big crowd here TO-DAY on the tar
In question. He said business would
have no reason TO fear tariff legisla-
ton III IL were made OH. correct eco
nomic principles.
A body or experts should be con-
stantly in the field he said, to investi-
gate the effects OF changing Industrial
and economic conditions and inform
congress of what transpires so the
! people OF the country may quickly Sc
cure the benefits of such changes.
Senator LaFollettes speech iol-
lows:
When conditions surrounding labor
IN this country and competing coun-
tries OF the world are I'm perfect equi-
nbElum.- we should have reetrade-
have always stood for tarin that viii
measure the difference--wbere there -
difference-between the cost OF pro-
duetion in this and competing coun-
tries
Up u a certain time In the history
OF this nations tariff legislation, II was
not felt by protectionists that there
was so much danger in high duties. In
1890 1 remember that there was some
effort made u inquire into the differ
ence i'm the cost OF labor and the cost
or production here and abroad. hut it
vas not considered so vitality import
ant, because Rcpublican protectionlsts
heksSVed that any injustice to the COM
sumner that might arise In the begin
ming from the enactment OF high duties
would be quickly remedied by home
competition. That belief was based on
the long accepted theory that a profit
able industry would invite investments
Of capital. and prices would be reduced
10 the basisaof fair compensation 10 the
American manufacturers good wages
10 the American lahorer. and that the
average American citizen would share
the general prosperity arising from the
Development OF American Industries.
But domestic competition has not
proved the strong regulator OF COM
neice in these later years, because mo-
nopolies have been formed behind the
tariff wall. and both consumers and
wage earners made 10 suffer from ex-
tortion.
When we came 10 the making OF the
Nlariff of 1909 that corollary Of protec-
A34eH- which Ha nn44tort,-t Hay, Blaine and
Mckinley had said would have the
American people from monopoly--com-
petition between protected Industries
had been wiped out by consolidation.
agreement and combination. We faced
n new problem, The difference in views
on the tdrin between the progressive
licans lies exactly here The progress
sives have seen this vast revolution in
economic conditions and have recoS-
nizcd the need OF radical changes in
our tariff revision, while the standpat
Republicans have refused to recognize
The changed conditions. They believe
In keeping the tariff wall high as
possible. Notwithstanding the growth
of eNtortionate monopoly. nhey be-
ieve IL more important TO keep NY the
profits or the combined manufactures
1 than TO keep down the prices.
The passage Of the Payne-Aldrich
bill was the most outrageous assault
OF private interests upon the people
recorded in tariff history
In order to place the tarif on a
scientific basis IL Is necessary TO know:
What is the nature and use OF
given commodity under consideration:
what are the raw materials used in it's
production and manufacture, what j.
the amount of its production ana con-
sumption I'm this countcy, how many
concerns are engaged IN It's manufac-
ture; who are the principal producers;
what are the ruling markets in this
Country. then We must know the ruling