Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-18

Republican progressive
and other antdemocratc organizations at the present time
is the principle of protection While there few protec
ton democrats their party whole takes the attitude con-
cey embodied in their latest declaration of principles the
Baltimore PLATFORM that protective tariff is unconstitu
tona.
At the time the platform in question declared
1--WE recognize that system of tariff taxation is intimate
y connected with the business of the country and favor
the ultimate attainment of the principles advocate by
legislation that will not hure or destroy legitimate indus
try"
The democrats thus declared in effect believe pro-
lection is unconstitutional but will relieve existing egs
laton of only part of its unconstitutionality.
According to their present claims, therefore, the
Underwood tariff bill will still be somewhat unconstitutional
and they still looking forward to greater degree of free
trade than provided by their bill in connection with
various agricultural products and commodities of
American manufacture.
This is precisely the taken by United States
tor La Toilette of Wisconsin, progressive republican,
port of his position III voting for the Underwood bill its
final after he had repeatedly manifested his oppos
ton to some of its most important provisions especially the
agricultural schedule which provides largely for free trade
In this connection Senator La Toilette says "The tar
if act of 1909 but little short of crime the bill passed
to-day not democratic but is protective
ure. Every change made by the finance committee was
made by of adjustment to protective basis except such
free wool and free sugar which determined
outside They treated the agricultural schedule regret to
free trade basis and would have retained more
duty cutlery and other articles which there
data in order to be not to ruin American production
Give the democrats time and they will put everything
free trade basis but they have not done it in this BILL
According to this authority well others, therefore,
democratic friends have made the farmers of the United
States the tariff revision goat Senator La Toilette con-
cedes that the present bill which he supported treated the
agricultural schedule free trade basis
Free sugar what the Sugar Trust wanted especi
ally to help kill off the beet sugar industry which
helping the farmers of the North to supplement the
sugar of various Southern States in effort to supply
markets with and if democrats from other States
in the South had joined with Senators Ransde and Thorn
the democratic senators from the large producing
State of Louisiana the bill could not have passed the Senate
The free wool provision is another blow aimed at two
great American industries, the raising Of sheep we'll
the manufacture of wooden goods and this hits Vermont in
two ways bringing the meaning of free trade to very
DOORS the of the Wnoos industries and the WOOL
mills in other parts of the State
However it would have been political blunder for
pubcans prevent tariff revision at this particular time,
if they had the power
1t easy to that instead of helping themselves
by opposing fair revision of too high duties the Adrch
pubcans by standing out against demands for reasonable
revision forced the American people to point where they
willing temporarily to overlook the pers of free trade
in agricultural and other products.
In other words republicans would not revise the tar
if reasonably, promised in 1908 then the job must be
given to the democrats though they might temporarily
carry the far That feeling helped to prepare
the country for change degree that raised the serious
question early 1911 whether republican what
soever could be elected to the presidency in 1912.
The lamented Mckinley had already pointed the for
his party in recommending the elimination of protection
the products of monopoly and the Hon. Curtis Guild has
now we'll formulated the republican policy calling for
tariff schedules that shall not be dictated by politics
greedy interests time shall afford substan-
tal control of the American market by American capital and
labor"
While nobody say just what changes in the pro-
visions of the Underwood tariff bill will be made by the
ference committee representing the Senate and the House,
is entirely safe to look for the retention of the free provisions
affecting sugar large list of other agricultural
products.
In other words instead of seeking how to increase Amer
lean food products and other necessares the farm
democratic friends have repeated the fundamental blum
ders of the Walker tariff of 1916 and the Wilson 1893
by opening gates to foreign farm products which will
help cut down supply by dscoragng production,
with ultimate increase in cost inevitable
When the American people a whole face the working
out of this economic TRUTH they will then ready for that
moderate protection which the Republican party should pre-
pare itself to provide.