The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-26
VOTE EOR TAFT

IB0llOU
which is becoming more and more
prominent as the campaign nears its
close History repeats itself in this
respect. Back in 1892 when the Dem
ocrats were urging a tariff for rev.
enue only. they tried to induce the
people to forget the disasters of 1857
and told them that the country had
outgrown any danger that could come
from doing away with the protective
principle.
The Democratic platform in 1892
contained these words, 1--WE declare
it to be a fundamental principle OF
the Democratic party, that the feder-
al government has no constitutional
power to impose and collect tariff
duties except for the purposes OF
revenue only" The Democratic par
ty won the election that year. They
carried the Presidency, the Senate
and the House. The result was the
passage of the Gorman-Wilson bill, by
which more than three millions OF
men were turned out of work and
SOUP houses had to be established in
practically every manufacturing city
of the east to keep the poorer peo-
nile from starvation. This was when
Coxey's army marched to the White
House and demanded either work or
food.
The Democratic platform of 1912
puts the matter even stronger than
did the platform of 1892. The Demo
Gratis say this year,-"We declare 1t
to be a fundamental principle of the
Democratic party that the federal gov
eminent under the constitution has
no right or power to impose or col
lect tariff duties, except for the pur-
poses of revenue only" The way this
is interpreted is shown in a speech
by Hon. Champ Clark Speaker OF the
House of Representatives, at Rock
land. Maine. no longer ago than iu-
guest 22nd Mr.. Clark said,-"There
is no beating about the bush in that
declaration. It states what the Dem
ocrats believe and what the Demo
Gratis will do if entrusted with leeis-
lative power
The working men, farmers, and
property owners of New England can
see what they will be up against, pro-
vided the Democratic party gets into
power. 1t will be a reproduction OF
the conditions following the election
of 1892. only that conditions are like
" to be worse for the reason that
long continued prosperity has educat
ed the people to a hi gher standard OF
living. so that it will be harder for
them to return to hard times. If the
Democrats win, the south and south
west will be in control
Now it is manifestly impossible fol
the voters of Vermont to settle the
national question for the whole ma
ton. but they can settle it for Yer
mont. Vermont has only four cleo
tors in the electoral college, but it i:
essential that electors opposed tC
Woodrow Wilson be chosen in this
state. There are two candidates il
the field in opposition to Mr.. Wilson
They are William II. Taft and Theo
dore Roosevelt. Both of them are Eoi
orable men, and both are safe men
The protective principle would be sc
cure with either of them in the Whit
/ House.
The situation, however. this year 4
peculiar with three candidates in tn
field, and with the possibility o
a practically even split of the hereto
fore Republican vote between Tai
and Roosevelt, there is reason to fea
that the state might give its electors
vote to Wilson.
At the September election, the RI
publican candidate for Governor 20
led practically 26.OOO votes. the Den
ocratic candidate 10000 and the pr,
gressive candidate $4,000. II is we
known that Roosevelt is much stron
er in this state than was the Progre
sive candidate for governor. Shoul
this result in Roosevelt receivln
5000 Of the votes that went to File
cher in September, the Democrat
would have to increase their vote OF
very slightly to carry the state fC
Wilson. This is the danger th'
confronts the people of Vermont
this free trade campaign.
The Banner is a sincere admire
OF Theodore Roosevelt and believe
him to be the greatest America
Of this generation, but at the san
time il feels that with a vote of p
600 for Fletcher in September an
!, only 1900 for Metzger. the be
hope Of defeating Wilson electors
this state is TO support Taft
i sa -. .----fAf- 49, nrr-rwr