The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-22

quired any compensation to the farm
ers, for in q very short period after
actual operation 1t will appear that
they as well a. everybody else, nave
been improved In condition by our
larger trade with Canada. But the
bin was framed and came TO me In Il
form calculated to mislead as TO its
effect
Finally, the cotton bill came to me.
This bill differed from the others In
being a, bill for which the Democrats
alone, and not the insurgent Repuo-
leans. were responsible. 1t had pass
ed the House on the report of the
Ways and Means Committee made
without the taking Of any evidence
of persons interested In the manu-
iacture or anyone else; 1t had COM
pleteiy changed the method of CLASH
tying cottons, classifying them ac-
ecrfAAg to the threads in the yarn
instesd Of by the threads Of the piece
ana the specific duty upon the square
yard, as In the present bill This
was most important change, and it
had been adopted after an Informal
communication IN writing with the
Bureau OF Standards and after an ad-
verse report by the Treasury experts,
The bin was adopted avowedly as a
Tree trade bill by the House
fhe bill was impossible, and of
course, l vetoed 1t. There was in
the passage of the bill, in the amend
ments, and In the general treatment
an indication that the support Of the
PHI was based rather on a desire to
axe a political record in favor of
lower duties than upon a serious pro-
pcsal 10 change the Law. At least
this Is the only explanation that can
be offered of the careless, inarti-
hciai. and altogether unsa tisfactory
Character Of the three bills,
Use No "BlackSnith's Tools"
have gone into this matter at
considerable detail in order that my
position with respect to these bits
and the general treatment of the
tariff may be understood | am In
FAVOR of the reduction Of the tariff
wherever II can be done and still
give a living measure Of protection
to those industries OF the country that
need it. But | insist that we have
reached now q point In the history
'ot tariff making when everyone ought
TO realize that the tariff should not
be changed and business disturbed
except upon information which shall
enable us 10 pass bills that will dis
turb Il least Our whole business
system rests upon the protestive tariff
pasls ne real nope or men who
are In favor OF lowering duties IL TO
pursue the policy of securing accurate
Information 10 keep the tariff rates
down as low as possible consistent
with the life Of the business pror
tectea The natural operation OF the
tariff under those conditions and
American ingenuity Is 10 continue to
reduce the cost Of production. and
that in itself viii secure. II we ad-
here to the policy, reduction OF the
tariff rates from. time 10 time. but
to cut them now with blacksmith &
tools" ia 10 invite In the next awe
or four years q revulsion al feeling
and then 81 recurrence ~ higher rates
and the old system Of high tariffs.
This ! would deprecate, and far
by the Constitution. propose to stop
such a movement and 70 secure a
reduction in accordance with the prin-
ciples Of the Republican platform.
and on Information accurate and Inn
partial II that po!ieT Is not APP
proved by the electorate. then, Of
course, those Of us who are now in
Office must give way to men who Will
carry out different policy. but
while we are N Office our position
ought clearly 70 be Understood We
follow this policy not only because
we are pledged to It. bur because We
believe II right because W. believe
that fun discussion and a clear
| perception on the part OF the people
will convince them ultimately - ap-
prove and adopt II.