The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-04
some PLAIN TALK
ON The TARIFF
[hG Need Of Sanity as Well as
Honesty Now Demanded.
|EAOLY Parallel ON 7. R.

Act as a Revenue Producer Had a
Beneficial Effect, While the Wilson
Bill Spread Havoc Among Our Do
mestie ndustries-Governm Un-
der Republican Rule Only Safeguard
Against Return of These Conditions.
BY THEODORE JUSTICE.
There is not now, nor has there
ben, any widespread demand here for
fange in our tariff law. OF course, no
| riff law is perfect. The Payne act
Irrected the errors of the previous
PTS, and is probably as near perfect
any tariff law we shall ever pro-
bee 1t reduced the duty on some
rms of iron and steel about so per
mt because it could do so and re-
sed to alter schedule X because it
uld not be done without injury TO
Human ingenuity could not frame
Tariff law that would suit everybody,
Id If we revised the tariff now there
build at once again be a clamor for
rther revision by some dissatisfied
ttion. The law we have has worked
well, on the whole, that even lead
Z Democrats aCquiesced in it until
rred to activity by political agita-
rs who used tariff revision down
I'd for their own selfish advantage.
UThe president of the United States
been most emphatic in expressing
views upon the matter, and they
to the effect that when a tariff
is working reasonably we'll as it
now, it ought not to be disturbed.
ess the benefits to result from a
hnge will mani'estly outweigh the
inowledged disadvantages.
1X-President Roosevelt's earnest de-
to avoid unnecessary disturbance
business during his term is shown
"a public speech in which he stated:
addition to honesty, we need sanity
honesty will make a public man
ful If that man is timid or foolish;
be is a hot-headed zealot, or an i'm
cticable visionary, for the wild
achers of unrest and discomfort,
wild agitators against the existing
er, the men who preach destruc-
without proposing any substi-
Ps for what they intend to destroy,
who propose a substitute far worse
the existing evils-all these men
the most dangerous opponents Of
reform. If they get their way they
lead the people into a deeper pit
any into which they could fall
er the present system.
More important than all else is the
fare of the wage Garner, the wei
of the tiller of the soil, and upon
Re depend the welfare of the entire
on"
the eX-president could have seen
self rs he is now in 1912 his words
would have been prophetic.
hose who advocate reciprocity iR-
that we must invite importations
Fe wish to increase our exporta-
$. The figures showing the actual
merce Of this nation, disprove this
rtion.
hey urge that If we place the tariff
some articles sufficiently low to
re greater influx of foreign goods
doors of trade will automatically
to us, and we will have an abun-
outlet, but an examination of the
rds shows nothing to justify this
%.
Fver has there been a period of
tariff that has not resulted in less
Prtations, nor a period of high
that has not resulted in larger
|rtations. This is because when
people are prosperous, as they
today under the Payne-Aldrich
act, they buy everything in sight
send abroad for more.
ben they are suffering from the
Is of the tariff for revenue only,
rom unwise reciprocity, they are
lie to consume, and therefore i'm
little.
henever the American people buy
woolens, and their iron and steel,
their articles of everyday con-
Ption abroad, American producers
ose articles are out Of employ
and our consumptive capacity is
FED 10 minimum.
Danger In Tariff Revision.
three months after the ways and
S committee of the house of rep
tatiyes begins to revise the tariff
e lines recommended by Wood
Wilson and Chairman Underwood
toms of financial panic will ap-
which may be a worse panic
any this nation has ever known.
is because wages and the stand
Il living through the long period
ounding prosperity have reached
heights that they would now
further TO fall TO the free trade
than ever before.
Paking of the attacks upon the
the vice presidential nominee
e Democratic ticket says 1T is
mainly owing to the fact that
II some products in foreign mar
at lower prices than we obtain
EN- at home" This seems TO act