Norwich bulletin., 1912-09-27
Vicious Effect
 of Free Trade
WILL REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR
 AMERICAN GOODS.
MACHINERY WILL STOP
Chairman HilIes Declares the Effect on Business Is the Essential Question Asks Wilson to Be More Specific.

Beverly, Mass, Sept. 26.-Chairman H1lles of the republican national com- m1ttee after day with President Taft and New England republican leaders, issued statement tonight, taking is- sue with Gov. Woodrow Wilson, and declaring that his views on free trade and protection were to be measured by the effect upon business conditions
 MT. Hilles said in part:
 Democratic Platitudes.
 q see it is intimated by Governor Wilson that the republican party is trying to evade discussion of the tariff. It seems to me that in that respect the boot is on the other leg. I have yet to find in any of the democratic speeches, clear definition of what they propose to do in regard to the tariff if they control the government. There have been many platitudes ut tered of interest to the working man, but 1t has not been pointed out how they purpose a revision of the tariff to revenue only point, without injury to existing industries. What Effect Upon Business?
 Tn my opinion, this is the vital question which the democratic candi- dates must face before the campaign is closed, and Is the issue upon which | the thousands of democratic business men who voted for President Taft four years ago, will be found voting for him again this fall. The essential question is not whether any of us would like to see the consumer benefit ed by tariff reduction, but how we pro- pose to make those reductions with out injury to labor and to American | business enterprises. The real ques- tion to the business community is not as to. abstract merits of free trade or protection, but what effsct will be produced upon business conditions by radical changes in the existing tariff
 If They Mean It, Business Suffers.
 'The opposition should answer the question clearly and definitely wheth- CT they propose to so far reduce exist l ing tariff duties as to bring foreign goods into effective competition with American goods of the same character l and thereby increase imports.
 Either they mean this or they do not mean 1t. If they do not mean it, their platitudes about tariff reform are fraud and delusion upon the peo- pie. If they do mean 1t, then cer- tain American interests must suffer.
 Will Reduce Demand for American | Goods.
 "Only an intellectual acrobat can | argue that throwing down the tariff 1 will have the instant effect of a rush of imports into the country at low prices and that not an American wheel will slow down or an American work CT thrown out of employment in con- sequence.
 "Tarih changes will either increase imports of competitive articles or they will not. If they will not then the cost to consumers will not be reduced materially; if they increase imports, they will correspondingly reduce the demand for American made goods, and certain mills will be put on short time, men will be laid off. and ultimately costly investments in plants and ma chinery will be turned into junk If this is not the policy of the democratic candidates, it behooves them to de- clares what is their policy
 Bull Moose Votes Dangerous.
 T think 1t is becoming clear to the business community and the working men that their votes upon the third party candidates is just as dangerous to the preservation of the protective principles as voting directly for the opposition candidates. It seems to be the purpose of the third-party man agers to defeat not only the republi- can national ticket but republican can didates for congress, by skimming off just enough votes for their own can didates in every state and district to wipe out existing republican plurali- ties.
 Policy of Leyeling Custom Houses.
 "The effect of this policy would be appalling, if it should succeed. Ii would result in the return of free trade democrats to congress from dis trict after district, now represented by republicans. So far as the plan sue ceeded, there would not be left ir congress a corporaPs guard of mem bers friendly even to a moderate de- gree of protection. Even if Governor Wilson, elected president under sucI conditions, should repent of the ex. treme policies of his party and should veto measures aimed to carry out the policies of Champ Clark, of levefins the custom houses to the ground, thert would not be votes enough in the two houses to sustain the veto A radica majority, indifferent to the interest, of the business community and of tn, workers would be able to ride rough , shod over the president if he should exercise the veto power"