The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-16
Attacks TAFT POLICY
Ex-Governor 5arstow Opposes PresI-
dents denomination


dents denomination
Editor of The Banner: That part
of the Republican platform of 1908
which refers to the tariff reads thus:
"In all tariff legislation the true
principle OF protection is best main
tanned by the imposition of such du-
ties as will equal. the difference be-
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad together with a reason
able profit to American industries, !
the aim and purpose Of the iepnbli-
can policy being not only to preserve,
without excessive duties, that secuI>
ity against foreign composition to
which American manufacturers, far
mers and producers are entitled, but
also to maintain the high standard of
living of the wage earners OF this
country who are the most direct ben
eflciaries of the protective system
This was republican doctrine in
1908 and will remain so until another
convention irons another platform. I'll
contains a pledge of protection toI
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 1t is time to ex-
press some opposition to his becom-
ing our candidate again.
In January 1911 Mr. Taft completed
his Canadian bargain which seemed
to place farmers in class by them
selves to be slaughtered by free trade
and was a direct violation of the re-
publican platform.
When Mr.. Harrison was elected
president 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 1.-The traitor president" Mr.
Tyler did not depart from the whig
platform of 1910 any more than Mr.
Taft has departed from the republican
platform of 1908.
Mr. Taft has violated the pledge Of
the republican party made to the peo-
Pile. Many great lawyers claim that
his compact with Sir Wilfred Laurier
was Unprecedented, unauthorized and
contrary to the constitution, which re-
quires that all revenue bills shall orr
ginate in the House.
When he found what a storm his at
tempted bargain had created he made
series of speeches attempting to de-
fend his course. Among them he said,
at least twice, that there was no more
difference in the economic condition
existing between the border states OF
the United States and Canada than
there was between the states of Ken
lucky and Tennessee.
Senator Dillingham;, in a vigorous
speech at Montpelier, Immediately de-
nounced this statement as untrue and
said, in no equivocal term, that the
reasons given by Mr. Taft were mis-
leading. He also asserted that if the
Taft bargain became a law 1t would
result in severe and continued injury
to Vermont farmers.
Colonel n. j. Batchelder, master
OF the National Grange, also about
the same time, showed In several adj
dresses the utter fallacy of Mr.. Taft's
claim and said that the proposed bar.
gain was made without regard to the
republican platform and that the prin
ciple of protection laid down in that
platform has been completely ignor
ed.
But neither of them said one-hali
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 VIII
fred Laurier's committees found thai
farm lands in Michigan, eleven mile.
west OF Detroit, were selling at $500
per acre. while eleven miles east Of
Detroit in Canada, the same quality
of land was selling at $50 per acre.
Then again, TO show Mr.. Taft's In
accuracy, It may be said that farmers
in the Province of Quebec do not pal
one-half the taxes the Vermont far
mers pay. And where there is on,
piano in farmhouse In the Provinc,
OF Quebec there are fifty in the farm
houses of Vermont Where they pal
ten cents for schools we pay a dollar
and yet Mr.. Taft says economic con
ditions are equal.
Mr.. Taft, in two OF his speeches
says that his compact with Canada Il
along the same lines that were advo
Gated by Mr.. Blaine and Mr.. McKin
ley.
II is hard TO prove n negative bu
| have a thousand dollars that | will
divide between the two children
homes in Burlington II Mr.. Taft o
any other person can find wher
either Blaine or Mckinley uttered
word or wrote line favoring III,
scheme which deprived farmers OF al
protection against their almost onl,
competitor and at the same time com
PEELED them TO pay a high duty OF
nearly everything they had to buy
. Whether reciprocity be good or ba,
Mr.. Taft has certainly deserted tn
republican platform, and seems to b,
ready to renew his Canadian bargain
at any time.
The Free Press, a few weeks age
said II the republicans expect to sue
, coed in 1912 they must have n goo,
platform and put man upon II VIII
, will stay there This is good doc
trine. Mr.. Taft has failed to stan,
by the republican platform Of 1870
and cannot be trusted again.
hear men on every side say
, never will vote for Taft again." bu
there are very many men who ca
be trusted, such as ex.Vice Preslden
u II, trk,pb. -. Kunx nnV..farn N,,,,,