Political Quotes

I withhold my approval from this bill, therefore, for the reasons, first, because it should not be considered until the Tariff Board shall make report upon the schedules it affects; second, because the bill is so loosely drawn as to involve the Government in endless litigation and to leave the commercial community in disastrous doubt; third, because it places the finished product on the free list, but retains on the dutiable list the raw material and the machinery with which such finished product is made, and thus puts at a needless disadvantage our American manufacturers; and fourth, that while purporting, by putting agricultural implements, meat, and flour on the free list, to reduce their price to the consumers, it does not do so, but only gives to Canada valuable concessions which might be used by the Executive to expand reciprocity with that country in accordance with the direction of Congress.

Now, I hope that it has taken the railroads out of politics.

The bill is so carelessly drawn that it would inevitably lead to the greatest uncertainty as to what articles are or are not covered by its various provisions.

The important thing is to get our tariff legislation out of the slough of guesswork and logrolling and ex parte statements of interested persons, and to establish that legislation on the basis of tested and determined facts.