Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-11
PLANK IMPORTANT
PROGRESSIVE PARTY ISSUE
Democrats Favor Free Trade and G. o. P. Stand for Payne
AIdrich Bill, Declares George L. Record-SaysW orkrnen
Should Be the Ones Benefited.
BY GEORGE L. RECORD

, party in the legislature to the passage
of a single important measure which
he favored.
Consider now the Roosevelt pro-
gressive tariff program. We favor
the principle of a protective tariff
limited to the difference between the
cost of production at home and
abroad. which is chiefly. If not wholly.
in the labor item. Certain interests
have been improperly favored by the
present tariff law, and we favor a
substantial and immediate downward
tariff revision.
The method of tariff making and
Of tariff administration should also
be changed. Protection should be al
lowed only on the theory that such
protection will serve to keep up the
wages and the standard OF living of
the wage worker In h industry pro-
tected, with full regard for the inter-
est of the consumer. No duty should
be permitted to stand unless the
workers receive their full share of
the benefits in the pay envelope.
A permanent commission of nom
partisan experts should study scien-
tifically all phases of tariff-making
and of tariff effects, with authority
to examine closely all correlated sub
jects, such as what any duty costs
the people in the price of living, the
wages and conditions of labor and
life of the workmen in any industry.
This is a sane, rational and nope
full program as long as the national
revenue is to be raised by tariff
duties. The almost infinite number
| Of facts to be considered in framing
a tariff bill are nowhere accessible,
yet are necessary to any intelligent
action.
This is the fundamental condition
of every great enterprise and yet
Governor Wilson publicly sneers at
commissions of experts. i know of
no utterance of the Governors which
is more disquieting than this. All
progress in a democracy must de-
pend upon the extent to which the
| people will learn to avail themselves
of expert knowledge. Governor Will
son admits that our tariff program
is admirable, but he says 1t cannot
be carried out. But this program is
Cdoy W tdIiJ Oul IL Jul iCPl CoChtd-
| tives really desire to do so. Sup
posing Roosevelt as President says
to the leading steel manufacturers in
effect: Gentlemen, you work a GER
tain proportion of your men twelve
hours a day eve days in the week
the year round and you do not pay
them living wages. Unless you
promptly inaugurate the e%ight-hour
shift and substantially raise the
wages of you underpaid workmen
/ will recommend to Congress the
reduction or the abolition of the pro-
lection which you now enjoy in the
tariff schedules"
Is not this just the sort of thing
that Roosevelt would do, and what
would be the consequences? The
twelve-hour-a-day, acknowledgements
outrage upol American manhood
would be promptly abandoned, and
substantial increase in the wages of
underpaid workmen would result. If
they did not do it Congress could
| abolish the duties.
Behind the Roosevelt tariff pro-
gram stands the most experienced
public man of our day, with a CON
coded capacity for getting things
done, and with his place in history
depending upon his ability to do the
things which he promises to do. and
backed by a new and great party,
which even Governor Wilson comedies
to be composed of the flower of the
intelligence and conscience of Amer
lean citizenship.