The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-19
WILSON ON
THE TARIFF
Governor States Position of
Democrats on Issue
DO NOT PROPOSE FREE TRADE
But Readjustment of Schedules Such as
Will Fit Them TO Actual Business
The County Demands and Will
Have Revision, He Declares.

OF the Democratic party on the tariff
was discussed by Governor Wilson in his
speech here last night. He predicted
that "the forces of reform will be dom
inant in both houses" in the next Con-
gress and declared that the election of
a president out of sympathy with them
would generate uneasiness and discon-
tent He said in part:
81 welcome the opportunity of stat
ing what | believe to be the well -consid-
cred position of the Democratic party
J with regard to the tariff. II is abso-
lutely essential that we should be en-
tirely frank with one another in the dis
cussion of this fundamental question.
"The business men of the country owe
| it to themselves to face the facts as
| they are and TO meet them in spirit
of accommodation which has no touch
either of radicalism or OF mere theoreti-
cal reconstruction in it.
The Democratic party does not pro-
pose free trade or anything approach
| ing free trade II proposes merely a
reconsideration of the tariff schedules,
such as will adjust them TO the actual
business conditions and interests of the
country, Every observant business man
must have realized long ago that the
tariff schedules were constructed in such
way that business was not upon a
formal basis in the United States. They
do not constitute a system of well-eon.
sidered protection. On the contrary,
they embody innumerable cunningly de-
vsed and carefully concealed special ia
vors and particular groups of capitalists
and manufacturers have taken advan-
ton rs nnoafaI 70 "a h1tfll
monopoly up in way that is threaten
ing and dangerous to every new and
independent enterprise. Our field of in
dustry is like an untended garden. Some
of the plants have so overshadowed the
rest as to give them no chance of light /
or air. Their roots, moreover, have mo-
nopolized the soil. and new growths are
all but impossible. If we would have
stable prosperity. we must admit light
and air and freedom into the whole
process of our industrial life and it ia
with that object that the Democrats
will approach the revision of the tariff.
Their desire is not to check, but to aid
not TO embarrass, but to quicken.
"They will not undertake the task
like amateurs, either. They will seek
and obtain the best possible advice in
the country, but they win seek it far
and wide, and not only in the quarters
from which it has usually come.
rs is obvious that the country de-
mands, and will sooner or later obtain,
4 thoroughly considered revision of the
.ariff and the serious practical question
now is: when and how shall it be brought
about 1t is practically out OF the ques.
ion that the Republicans should control
he majority of the next House of Rep
it is evident that those who :
tand pat on the tariff viii not control
he next Senate; the forces of reform
will be dominant in both Houses. To
,e held at a standstill in such circum-
tances by president entirely out of u
ympathy with Congress will be to gen Il
rate greater and greater uneasiness.
reater and greater restlessness, deeper D
nd deeper discomfort, and so to mass the q
orces which may ultimately make a
hange when it comes too rapid and too >
adical.
"In spite OF all the obstacles of the II
xisting tariff system, in spite of all the r
of an inelastic currency, o
1 spite of the uncertainties of politics, o.
he commercial and industrial interests
the country are moving forward in
n irresistible stream. The argument is
ut forth. therefore to "let well enough S,
lone" The argument would be very
Impressive if we really thought that the
resent conditions are well enough; but
e know that they are not, that they be
involve the influences of mo- er
opoly, OF manipulation. of private con q
'ol. and even if they were well enough, GO
is not leaving them alone to elect IN
II. Taft president, to hold a restless ma at
on at standstill for four years and q
the very forces which may III
NV, if properly guided and wisely mod hl
ated, remove every obstacle to free en- lis
rprise and unlimited business eXpan at
on. Ut
"There are more possibilities of panic WI
lsuing upon Astounding prosperity UNI M
II the present system than there could ut
under any other, and every dictate ga
prudence. every instinct OF statesman
lip, ought to point to those early re-
rms which can be accomplished in
od temper by common counsel and in M
oderate form. We cannot stand stir,
asst of all when the opportunity of un
unded prosperity beckons us on.
ITO retain our present embarrassments fa
Duld be to miss our chance" en-