St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-04-02

arrives that he will be appointed
j [ Express and Standard.
A Warming
Just as the democrats are about to
revise the tariff to reduce the cost
of living, and, as President Wilson
says, for the purpose of increasing
our commerce, the United States
shows a new high record in foreign
trade. The report for February
gives the aggregate exports and i'm
ports for the month as $343,395,13
and. there was a balance in our favor
of $44, 456, TOP. Exports for the
month were $194,O25,916 and inn
ports $149,569, PA. For the eight
months closing with February the
combined export and import trade
amounted to nearly $4,000, 1000 900,
with balance in favor of the United
States of nearly $500, 900. Amer
! lean. iron and steel manufactures
are being sent abroad at the rate of
| 81, 900, 100000 a day. No class of
| exports has shown in recent years
such a phenomenal gain. In 1893
these products aggregated SIS, OOO,-
900; in. 1908, $12O,O0O,O 700, and
this year they will reach 1855, 0OO,-
600. Other products of our manu-
remarkable increases, especially
since the passage of the Payne-Al-
drich tariff law. Therefore, any leg
islation that disturbs our domestic
industries will imperil this foreign
trade. In spite of all criticism of
the tariff, the country was never
more prosperous.
If President Wilson can impress
his party in congress with his own
declared purpose to proceed with
caution in revising the tariff, basing
legislation on ascertained facts, no
radical bill will be presented for his
signature. Defects there undoubt-
eddy are in schedules that should be
remedied; more protection is afford
ed to some articles than perhaps
is needed, but to upset the protec-
tive principle by carrying out the de-
clarations of the democratic plat
form will be dangerous to our indus
trial interests. We cannot have a
growing trade with, foreign countries
if our own factories are idle or their
prOductiveness is impaired. To buy
we must have something. to sell. 1t
will be easy to turn the balance of
trade against US if we open our
ports to foreign competition of our
own industries. 1t is an old demo-
cratic free trade theory that we can
not sell goods unless, We invite COM
petition from abroad, but the ex-
perience of the last sixteen years has
completely nullifiedl this theory. Not
only have We increased our sales, |
but there has been a continual |
growth in our purchases. Before |
cutting and slashing the tariff to |
hn
present congress may well be warn |
ed by the fate that overlook its presI
decessor under Grover Cleveland. !
The democratic party can better af-
ford to ignore it's platform than to |
menace our present prosperity. It's |
campaign promises will be hardly |
remembered against it if business
continues undisturbed by legislation.
The democratic party is now to be |
judged by it's acts, and not by its
professionals Manchester Union.
BurlesOn's Plan
If President Wilson permits Post
master Burleson to carry into exc
cution his announced purpose of
placing fourth class postmasters
under a merit system of his own de-
vising, he will grievously d1sappoint
the great body of American citizens
and crafty only democratic pOliti-
clans and place seekers. 1t is ex-
tremely unfortunate that thus early
in the administration such a bald at
tempt should be made toward a
partial return to the long discredited
and demoralizing spoils system, for
that is what this merit system"
will mean if it is put into operation.
The scandals of the spoils system
were not so trivial nor was their oc-
so far in the past that they
have faded from memory. Any eff
fort that points even indirectly at
official action likely to result in their
revival will promptly challenge pub
lie attention and provoke public pro-
test This is exactly what Postmas-
ter Burleson's plan for dealing with
the $4,000 fourth-class postmasters
has done, for the people have been
quick to recognize it as a thinly-
yelled attempt to provide places for
democrats rather than to increase
the efficiency of the postal service.
They have not forgotten that it
was Theodore Roosevelt, in the clos
ing days of his administration, who
issued the order extending the civil
service regulations to cover a GER
tain number of fourth-class postmas-
-ers This was an experiment and
so satisfactory was it that Post
master General Hitchcock subse-
Iuently recommended that the civil
service system be extended to apply
% all fourth-class postmasters. Last
year, in pursuance of this recommen-
lation, President Taft issued the or
Ter, which Postmaster Burleson
shows an unmistakable desire to
evade.
That order brought all fourth
class postmasters under the opera
lion of the civil service law and
Under the direct jurisdiction of the
Civil Service Commission. Their |
tenure became secure as long as
they remained efficient and well-be-
1aved, and the Offices. they filled
we're to be no longer the reward of
partisan activity. Just here is where
he new postmaster general found
himself confronted with a problem