The herald., 1897-06-23
THE MILLENNIUM EN- ROUTE

|
porary, the Times stalwart Republican
in politics, and keeper of the presidential
conscience in this part Of the globe, dis
cussing the tariff schedule on wood pulp
emphatically condemned the proposed
increase in the duty on this commodity.
The Times says:
| The Dingley bill, as reported by the
ways and means committee of the
| house, increased the duty on wood pulp
| from an ad valorem basis of 10 per
cent, or about 81 per ton, to specific
| basis of 1-12 Of a cent per pound. or $l.66
per ton. This change of duty is equiv
| alent to an increase of about so cents
| per ton in the cost of paper, or "a
| cents per 100 pounds.
There are excellent reasons for the
| placing of wood pulp on the free list.
and it is to be hoped that in the new
tariff law as ultimately enacted it may
be found there. The enormous con-
sumption of wood pulp in the manu-
facture of paper makes serious inroads
upon forest growth. So long as we
can draw from abroad a considerable
proportion of this raw material of pa
per manufacture, so long can we to
that extent preserve our forests from
denudation.
Going on, our contemporary pleads for
free trade in wood pulp, on the grounds
that to shut out the foreign article would
facilitate the efforts of certain large
mill owners to bring all of the large
newspaper mills into gigantic combi-
nation or paper trust.
Saturday evening came out the other
Republican daily of the city, the highly
esteemed Express, with an editorial on
"A Tariff Commission" This Defender
Of the Republican Faith, by the Grace of
Mark Hanna" after stating that plan
is before congress for this purpose, says:
This bill or one like will undoubted-
ly some day become law, for two rea-
sons. One is that the whole tendency
of government is toward relegating the
details of public business to commits
sioners, it having been found impos-
sible adequately to transact national
affairs otherwise. The other is that the
tariff question is rapidly coming to be
regarded by both parties as a business
matter and not fit subject for party
fireworks.
That ends the whole tariff battle. The
tariff war drums shall beat no longer.
The political battle flags may be furled.
The enemy has capitulated without con-
ditions. Under another metaphor these
advocates of the Republican cause have
argued themselves out of court. They
have stated our case and we are willing
to let it go to the jury on their argu-
ment. The Times excellent reasons
against levying the tax on wood pulp
for the sake of protection will apply with
equal force to all the other schedules in
the Dingley BILL The Facilitating of
combines or trusts" incident to a pro-
tective duty on wood pulp is equally ar
incident of the whole protective pro-
gram. This is not theory. 1t is the
condition of all protected industries.
These trusts are now eating the life out
Of all our industries and depressing all
classes of the people. The only way to
duties.
We wish to add an emphatic commen-
dation to the views Of the Express. That
the tariff question is business matter
anu NV a III SoDJSSI lOl PAL y llIe-
works" is sound Democratic doctrine
In the language of Shylock, Most
learned judge, most wise judge, how
much more older art thou than thy
looks!'
But where is all last falls great cry
that Protection was the real issue in
the campaign?"
The only way to take the tariff out of
politics is the Democratic way. Levy
duties for revenue only and the whole
thing is done. Put everything on the list
of dutiable articles, place an ad valorem
duty on everything and of equal rate on
everything imported into the country,
and even the tariff commission may be
dispensed with. When too much revenue
is coming in, lower the rate per cent,
and when too little is coming in, raise
it per cent That will do the whole busi-
ness. 1t will take the tariff out of poll
tics. 1t will make it matter of busi-
ness, and it will cease. to upset business
every few years, to the great detriment
of all industries.
We desire to welcome both our Re
publican contemporaries into the DEM
ocratic fold at once-at least so far as
the tariff question goes.