The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-04-19

The Democratic tariff-whieh, from
the active part the president has TAX
en- in framing it, may well be called
another Wilson bill"-is the rankest
kind of free trade measure ever
considered by an Americans Congress.
Duties are cut on an average of so
per cent from the present tariff. !
They are lower than the duties pro-
posed in the last Congress and We.
toed by Taft. They are lower than
the former Wilson bill, which brought
disaster to the country. They are
lower even, than the Walker bill of
1856, notorious free trade measure.
One thing stands to the credit of
the Democrats-they have been true
to their party doctrine. Denouncing
the protective idea, they have prac-
tieally eliminated il in the prepare
ton of this act. There has been no
evasion or double dealing this time.
The tariff now before Congress is
free trade measure, just as far as
it can be and supply revenue. Even
that consideration has been obscured
to some extent, and it is by no
means certain that it will provide the
needed funds, though supplemented
by a stiff income tax The bill, in
stead of being conservative in scope,
is extremely radical How. If it
passes, ii can fulfill the Democratic
platform promise not to iniure any
legitimate industry, one can hardly
see. Unless all past experience
counts for naught, the new tariff will
deal a tremendous, staggering blow
to many an American industry count
ed legisimate, established and en-
ploying thousands of workmen.
The announced purpose of the
slashing reduction and the large free
list is to cheaper the cost of every
thing and bring commodities to a
lower price level II it fails TO do
that, it fails of its purpose and will
amount TO nothing from an economic
standpoint And if it succeeds, as
there is every prospect it will, in
what way will il affect the various
industries involved? Putting wool
and sugar on the free list will doubt
less cheaper these articles and their
products, but at whose expense?
Free boots and shoes mean cheaper
boots and shoes, probably, but how
about the thousands employed in
thier manufacture? Free farm pro-
I ducts, meats and the like will mean
that the consumers dollar will go
further-if he can get the dollar
but how about the man out on the
farm or ranch? Is he getting rich
too fast now?
Foreign producers, in so far as
they, by reason of lower wage scales
and other advantages, are able TO
bring their commodities to this coun-
try and sell at a cheaper price than
our own producers, will supplant
them. throwing them out of business,
together with the men and women
they employ. There will be no pro
lection to give our home producers
the benefit OF the higher wage and
living scales that obtain here. The
result will be depression and stagna
tion and hard times.
The Democratic tariff bill is q
consumers bm, in and for the inter
est of the buyer II does not consid
err the producer or give him the op
portunity to compete, on fair level
D. WIFI lUt OuAHlutIs OIt must Eth1A
ally speaking, be able to produce be
fore he can command the wherewith
al to consume. A country of con
sumers with producers eliminated
would last only as long as thei
accumulated surplus would go.
system that considers only or prin
cipally him who buys is one-side'
and ill-adjusted.
The Democrats have fairly an,
truly written themselves down in thi
tariff bill. II embodies their theor,
exactly-free trade as far as it cal
be had; no consideration to the HON
producer which involves the elemen
of protection from foreign compet
ton. If the bill passes we shall Sc
how it works out We predict for /
failure-not because it is Democrats
but because It is free trade, and fire.
trade, for this country, has proven
itself to be a fallacious doctrine
Randolph Herald and News.