The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-07
MIR. TAYLER ON TARIFF
THINKS THE DIN0LEY MEASURE
 AN IDEAL ONE.
Is Distrustful of Trusts, But Does Not Believe Freer Trade Would Curb Their Power
 For Evil.

Washington. June s.-The Industrial Commission at it's session today con- sidered the tariff question with inci- dental reference to trusts. the wit nesses being Congressman Robert w. Tayler of Ohio and Dr. George c. Gun ton, President of the New York Insti- tute of Social Economists.
 Mir. Tayler took the position that any discussion in Congress of the tar iff at this time would have a damag- ing effect on the country. He said the Dingley tariff was the most equitable tariff law the United States has ever had. He took a decided position against trusts and said that they are not fostered by the protective tariff. He also said that he believed in the prin- ciple of reciprocity. but that he did not endorse any of the recently nego- tiated reciprocity treaties. MT. Tayler announced the general principle that the history of the country, for the past few years, and the present condi- tions demand that there should not be the slightest relaxing of the tariff prin- ctples now embodied in the Dingley law. The. relation of the tariff to trusts. he said. is only incidental. The Dingley law embodied, he said, the idea that the American civilization Is on a higher plane than any other, and requires a higher reward for its la- bor to maintain the excellence. When the labor cost is greater than else- where. it is necessary that there should be an equalizing influence. such. as is the Dingley law. Primarily, there- fore, the protective tariff law was in the interest of labor. Even the farmer. he said. gets a reciprocal benefit.
 How is the farmer benefited by the tariff on steel?" asked Colonel Living stone.
 Tn the first place." replied the wit ness. "there is not much tariff on iron and steel except possibly on tin plate. We pay out in wages an enormous sum. That means that the consuming power fo the American people at home Is in- creased to that extent and I think the effect of that increased consumption is sufficient to recoup the farmer for any supposed increase of the cost to him of iron and steel articles which he may purchase"
 MT. Tayler announced himself as op- posed to the principle involved in the trusts, because, he said, he considered human nature too weak to entrust in few people such a power as is in- volved in trusts. He thought abuses were certain. and that the result would be what he called governmental social ism or governmental ownership of the articles controlled by the trusts. MT. Tayler said that distrustful as he was of trusts. he had no remedy to suggest. He did not accept the theory that the trusts alone could be trusted to reduce the cost of commodities.
 Instancing the United States Steel Company. he said that its securities amount to $1, ,500, ,000, 900, while the cost had been been one-third that amount. He had no doubt that the holders of those securities would demand returns upon them. He said he would oppose the Babcock bill. placing iron products on the free list, because the result would be to destroy independent effort.
 Dr. Gunton devoted himself especially to an argument recently made to the commission by Edwin Atkinson for freer trade pr. Gunton said that the freedom contended for by opponents of the tariff is analogous to the freedom of a savage, a freedom which, if in dulged in too freely. not only brings injury to others, but ruin to himself Dr. Gunton said the machinists' strike was perfectly right. as he believed that labor was justified in organizing against capital for the protection of it's interests. He said that when the opin- ion got abroad that theories akin to MT. Atkinson's were about to be en- acted into law, there will come near be- ing general bankruptcy.