Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-03-09


short notice, as sharp political prac-
tice might have suggested, ana pub
&C opinion will accordingly demand
that the democrats play fair in return
Some people might deem 1T expedient
for the democrat to try to attach more
gcneral tariff legislation TO the rect
procity measure. but the democrats
will have nothing to gain and every
thing to lose through the adoption OF
this course. They can pass the reel
credit for this course, and pass any
ether provisions regarding the tariff
they may want in separate bill
once upon q time it was fairly safe
for republicans to figure that their
democratic rivals would do the wrong
thing 1T tho right time 20 further the
chances OF republican success at the
polls. If the reader has beer fairly
observing OK late, however, re or SHE
VIII have discovered that our demo
cratic friends are no, given to making
mistakes 20 much as formerly, and
mat as matter OF fact they arc
p}lyire fairly good politics TO put
/ il in q different way. they seem 20 DE
realizing as never before shat TO stick
30 principle no matter which party
controls Legislation is tho best poll
lies.
1t is nos impossible, on the other
hand. that the democrats in Congress
viii find that President Taft has rc-
moved all temptation for them. Ac-
cordinR to the latest adviccs from
Washington President Taft may take
the initiative by recommending in ad e.
dlton to the reciprocity treaty another
measure providing FOR revision Of the
tariff on wool cotton and foodstuffs.
some Of those who opposed recipro-
ity on tho ground that while wheat
ure -four was still required to pay Il
duty, so that the New England farmer
did not got relief IN tina, direction.
We thought we knew what we are
talking about when we advised the
farmers OF Vermont to accept reel
procity rather than TO open the way
for still further revision of the tariff.
In our estimation the only logical Sc
Quonce of the rebuff suffered by re-
puhlicans last November through crit
icism because the Payne tariff act drd
not revise the tariff downward sufi-
/ GENTLY. is still further tariff revision.
Indeed the program of the House
for the extra session is said to he the
passage of the reciprocity bill and bill
or bills revising downward the schedules
on wool, cotton and foodstuffs, while the
| fight for a more general revision of the
tariff will be postponed until ,he regular
session.
If reciprocity had been adopted we be-
| lieve its operation would have demon
strated that the republican policy is right
and that protection does not necessarily
add TO prices. If prices had risen in Can
ada and our prices had not fallen, as has
| been the case whenever part of the duty
has been taken off from lumber, then the
republican position would have beer
indicated by next December when the
regular session of Congress will begin
and the democrats would have had no ex-
row stands tho fight Is likely to be pro-
! l"nged some months, and we 10 not see
how anything can he told definitely as to
the effect Of reciprocity before more radi-
cal revision OF the tariff is forced by the
democratic House.
! Whatever relief comes now on the other
hand must be credited in part to the
democratic House, and the net result
must he a political gain for the democrats
as compared with the situation which
would have obtained if reciprocity, adopt
| &c by republican House and Senate, had
settled everything for the greater part OF
the year that would have elap7ed before
the beginning of the regular session next
| December