News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1912-03-13
CRITICISES THE president
Ex.Gov. Barstow Doesn't Approve Of his
Tariff Ideas
SHELBURNE, VT
March 4,

MIR. EDIToR:-
That part of the Republican platform
of 1908 which refers to the tariff reads
thus:
IN all tariff legislation the true prin-
ciple of protection is best maintained by
the imposition of such duties as Will
equal the difference between the cost OF
production at home and abroad together
with reasonable profit to American IN
dustres, the aim and purpose of the ke'
publican policy being not only to presel w
without excessive duties that security
against foreign competition to which
American manufacturers, farmers and
producers aIe entitled, but also to main
tain the high standard of living OF the
wage earners of this country who aie the
most direct beneficiaries of the protec
tive system
This was Republican doctrine in 1908
and will remain SO until another conven-
tion forms another platform. 1t contains
pledge of protection to farmers, and
when Mr.. Taft attempts to give free trade
to farmers on what they have to sell to
their nearest and almost only competitors
while high protective duty was still
levied on nearly all manufactured articles
that he has to buy, think it is time to
express some opposition to his becoming
our candidate again.
/ In January, 1911, Mr.. Taft completed
his Canadian bargain which seemed to
place farmers in class by themselves to
be slaughtered by free trade and was a
direct violation of the Republican plat
form.
| When Mr.. Harrison was elected Presi-
| dent in 1910 with John Tyler as Vice
President, land Mr.. Harrison died within
, thirty days. it was found that Mr. Tyler
had become Democrat and the Wings
ever after characterized him as ''the
traitor President" Mr.. Tyler did not
depart from the Wing platform of 1910
any more than Mr.. Taft has departed
from the Republican platform of 1908.
Mr.. Taft has violated the pledge Vt the
Republican party made to- the people.
Many great lawl ers claim that his COM
pact with Sir Wilfred Laurier was I'M
precedented, unauthorized and contrary
to the Constitution, winch requires tina.
all revenue bills shall originate in the
House.
When he found what a storm his at
tempted bargain had created he made
series of speeches attempting to defend
his course. Among them he said, at
least twice, that there was no more diff
ference in the economic condition exist
ing between the border states of the
United States and Canada than here was
between the states of Kentucky and
Tennessee.
Senator Dillingham;, In vigorous
speech at Montpelier, Immediately de-
Iii, nt.,fr ,tpNnn
said, in no equivocal term, that the
reasons given by Mr.. Taft were mislead-
ing. He also asserted that if the Taft
bargain became law it would result in
severe and continued injury to Vermont
farmers.
Col. N. j. Bachelder, Master of the
National Grange, also about the same
time, showed in several addresses the
utter fallacy of Mr.. Taft's claim and said
that the proposed bargain was made
without regard to the Republican plat
form and that the principle of protection
laid down in that platform has been
completely ignored.
But neither of them said one half of
what they might have truthfully said in
this respect.
Now hay and apple dealers tell me that
they find wages in Canada to be from
one third to one half lower than they are
in Vermont.
Land is lower in Canada than in the
United States. One of Sir Wifred
iaurier's committees found that farm
lands in Michigan, eleven miles west of
Detroit, were selling at 5000 per acre,
while eleven miles east of Detroit, in
Canada, the same quality of land was
selling at $50 per acre
Than AGAIN Shnu Mr
curacy, it may be said that farmers in
the Province of Quebec do not pay one
half the taxes the Vermont farmers pay.
And where there is one piano in farm
house in the Province of Quebec there
are fifty in the farm houses of Vermont
Where they pay ten cents for schools we
pay dollar, and yet Mr.. Taft saws eco.
nomic conditions are equal.
Mr.. Taft, in two of his speeches, says
that his compact with Canada is along
the same lines that were advocated by
MIR. Blaine and Mr.. Mckinley.
1t is hard to prove a negative, but | |
have thousand dollars that will divide |
between the two Chiidrens' Homes in |
Burlington if Mr.. Taft or any other person |
can find where either blaine Or Mckinley |
uttered a word or wrote line favoring |
the scheme which deprived farmers of |
all protection against their almost only |
and at the same time COM
PEELED them to pay high duty on nearly
everything they had to buy.
Whether reciprocity be good or bad
Mr. Taft has certainly deserted the Re-
publican platform, and seems to be ready
to renew his Canadian bargain at any
time.
The Free Press, few weeks ago, said
If the Republicans expect to succeed in
1912 they must have a good platform and
put a man upon it who will stay there.
This is good doctrine. Mr.. Taft has
failed to stand by the Republican plat
form of 1908 and cannot be trusted again.
1 hear men on every side saw. 81 never
will vote for Taft again." but there are
very many men who can be trusted. such
Is ex-Vice President Fairbanks or Knox.
Cummins, Bristow. LaFollette
md many others. j. L. BARsrow. 4