Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-10-25
A Plea for n NOn-Partisan Tariff Conn
mission.

The national association of paint, oil and
varnish manufacturers, at its convention
just held in Chicago, adopted a resolution
recommending the creation and mainten-
ance by Congress of permanent non-par-
tisan tariff commission, whose duties would
be to consider and from time to time to re-
port to Congress such changes in the tar
if as the business of the country and the
welfare OF the people demand. The un-
derlying idea is, of course, to put the tariff
strictly on business and not on political
basis. This suggestion is by no means en-
tirely new, for it was one of the early pro-
visions of the Mckinley bill, which, among
others, was eventually defeated. One of
the leading newspapers of the country,
conservatively Republican in its politics,
but determined opponent of the Demo
cratic tariff, and steadfast defender of
the principles of protection, in discussing
this subject says:
"When it is considered that there are
Republicans, in and out of Congress, who
differ with regard to what imports should
be placed on the free list, and what duties
should be high and what duties should be
low, and that all Democrats, in and out of
Congress, are not free traders, not in favor
of a tariff for revenue, even, but who are
as radical protectionists as any of their po-
litical opponents, it is evident that Con-
gress might with good reason give this
subject careful and favorable consideration.
1t is only necessary to recall the brief
Nf kou L., 81,
radical differences which characterize
them, to perceive the necessity of taking
this important economic question entirely
out of politics. The Calhoun tariff of
1916, the first really protective one, had a
fairly long life, eight years. In 1924 it
virtually gave place to the tariff of that
year, as the new act was a radical revision
of the schedules of the earlier one. The
next tariff bill was passed in 1882, but
did not 60 into operation until 1888. Its
life was less than a year. Its successor,
the Clay compromise tariff, remained on
the statute books from January l, 1884, to
August 30 1912; then came the act of the
latter year, which was supplanted by the
free trade enactment of 1876, and which
was materially changed, generally by re-
duction of duties, by the law of 1857. The
life of the latter was only four years. The
| longest lived tariff of all was what was
known as the Mo ;rill act, which was APP
| proved by President Buchanan, March 2,
1861, and became operative on the follow
| ing first day of April. But though so long
lived, it was frequently subjected by sue
ceeding Congresses to many important
changes, so that when it was set aside by
the act of 1888 it was widely different from
the law originally passed. The tariff OF
the latter year had a life of over seven
years, and gave place to the Mckinley act,
which went into operation in 1890. This
famous tariff was superseded by the pres
ent tariff in August, 1894 This law has
had very brief existence, scarcely long
enough to fairly establish its merits or ex-
pose its defects, yet already both Republi-
cans and Democrats are cOntending for its
revision.
''It is not improbable that one of oul
tariff wars, growing out of the determine
tion of the party newly come into power to
revise the tariff upon radically partisan
lines, is an actual loss of money scarcely
less costly than a war with another coun
try would be. The prolonged struggle in
Congress to supersede the Mckinley law
paralyzed business in every part of the
country. While the contention continued
it was not possible for a manufacturer tC
manufacture, or merchant to buy goods,
except in a hand-to-mouth fashion, as nC
one could predicate what economic condi-
tions would be the sequence of the new
tariff. The hard times of the last two
years, from which everybody has suffered