The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-03-27
TARIFF HEARINGS.
Contrast between Experiences Under
a Protective Policy and Under
the German Bfli = Several
Congressmen's Views.

In my judgment the recent hearings
on the subject of the tariff before the
committee on ways and means will be
of greater Importance in the permanent
determination of the future industrial
policy of the government than any hear
ings ever before had on this subject
In previous hearings IL was the the
cries of the tariff reformer" that con-
tended against the experience of the
people under the economic policy of
protection. In the hearings just
closed we have the benefit OF ex-
perience under a protective tariff
policy and under our present tariff
reform" policy, based upon the demo
cratic shibboleths of free raw ma
terial and ad valorem duties, and the
result, as shown by the testimony of all
who appeared, without regard TO party,
employment or occupation, conclusive
ly demonstrates the wisdom of the
former and the fallacy of the latter.
A notable and refreshing feature OF
these hearings is the fact that those
who were, are now, and declare they
formed the committee that three years
ago they advocated free raw material
and nd valorem duties, publicly confess
their error, and now ask congress for
moderate" protective tariff and a re-
turn 10 specific duties.
The interdependence OF every kind Of
industry of occupation, from the wool
nd hs. oh IN "a
person who manufactures and sells the
finished products, was never more clear
ly shown than by the evidence as TO the
effect of cheap foreign competition in
the past three years.
Another feature-somewhat remark.
able. too, in view of the recent campaign
lis that the representatives Of no in.
dustry, labor organization, party or Sec
ton attributed our industrial depres.
sion to the "crime OF "a" but either ex-
pressly or by implication charged that
result to the crime of '04.-Hon. j. A.
Tawney, NJ c., OF Minnesota.
Evils OF the Ad vnIorem system.
The first impression from the hear
ings was the almost unanimous wish
expressed for n return TO specific rates
in place OF ad valorems.
Undervaluations are inseparable from
the ad valorem system, and alike preju-
dicial to the government and the hon
est importer. The information was val
liable for technical exactness more than
for disinterestedness. | am very glad
that we were not confined TO the evil
dence offered. While there was proba-
bly, nothing stated which the witnesses
did not themselves believe to be true,
there were some very important sched-
ules on which very little evidence was
offered. This was notably true Of ag-
riculture.
The changes made by inventions and
improved methods of production and
transportation were forcibly brought
out. That labor is from one-fourth 10
one-half cheaper in Europe and Asia
than in the United States seemed clear
ly established by the evidence as TO
many industries. In some respects the
evidence would warrant higher and
in some lower duties than in former
laws.
/ expect to see the new tariff framed
on strictly protective principles, and
trust il may prove so satisfactory as TO
remain for many years the law OF the
land. / also hope that II may be so
promptly enacted as TO leave fair
chance TO prove its benefits before an
otherelection occurs.-IIon. NJ. n. john
son, NJ. c., of North Dakota.
The Agricultural Depression.
The chief fact brought out by the
tariff hearings was that a reduction
of duties below the protective rate al
ways Injuries labor in it's wages and
often entirely kills the industry af-
fected. The most impressive scenes in
the committee room were those in
which workingmen, speaking for their
fellow craftsmen, told the story of idle
ness and want brought into their
homes by falling wages and fail
ing employment Nor did il take
n statistician TO see in the uni
versal shrinkage of wages and the
general prostitution of industries,
once prosperous and increasing, the Sc
cret Of the agricultural depression
which has nearly cut in two the home
consumption OF corn and reduced the
consumption OF wheat ~ bushels for
every man, woman and child In the
United States.-IIon. j. p. Dolliver, NJ.
c., OF Iowa.
Must ne Changes.
II would have been difficult, in my
Judgment, for any subject or series of
subjects 10 have received more able and
intelligent treatment than did those i'm
volved in the recent tariff hearings be-
fore the WINS and means committee