Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-12-17
PRICES AND TARIFF REFORM.
How REIMBURSEMENT Should Be Made
In the Interest of Home
COnsumcrs

We have the authority Of Mr.. Hanna
that the protective tariff is too seien-
tifically adjusted to be meddled with.
Mr.. Hanna not being considered an
authority on the tariff. this informa-
ton would not be valuable had he not
been boss of the republican party. So
far all that Mr.. Hanna has said about
congressional legislation has been at
tempted If not accomplished, SO that
we are forced to believe that it is not
intended to attempt any tariff reform,
however much needed.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Hanna is
technically right in his estimate Of
the way the tariff has been adjusted,
and yet the way the present tariff was
built was very simple. Each manufac-
turing or producing interest, except
the ordinary farmers and planters,
was invited to come before the repub-
ican members of the ways and means
committee with a schedule that would
protect its particular industry, and
the whole were then arranged under
the same schedule as the Mckinley
tariff had been. Of course there were
some who wanted more protection
than was given them, the rate being adj
justed to suit the general scheme. The
wool growers wanted a prohibitive
tariff, but their interests FLASHED with
the carpet and wooden manufacturers
who wanted free raw material, and
here was where the scientific adjust
ment came into play. 1t was so with
some other interests
The proposed reform of placing on
the free list those trust productions
that the trusts are selling abroad at .
lower price than they are selling them
at home, would probably not affect
the revenues, for but few, If any, inn
portations are made under the present
tariff rate, and if the foreigners at
tempt to import when the duty is
removed, there will be no revenue pro-
duced, for there is hardly much likel-
hood of the trusts allowing any impor-
tations, as they will bring down their
price to the level where it would be un-
profitable for the foreigner to attempt
to compete. The result, therefore,
would be that the price of trust articles
would be reduced to consumers just
low enough to prevent foreign compe-
tition and this would be the present
price less the tariff rate, about As per
cent. All these trust-made articles
would be reduced in price, which would
about equal the foreign price with the
freight and profit added
This should not much interfere
with business, except the trust mo-
nopolies, and the time for the change
from the high tariff to free trade in
these trusts articles could be set far
enough ahead to allow the jobbers
and retailers to get rid of their
stocks in anticipation of the lower
prices that would prevail. There is
nothing scientific or mysterious about
this proposed tariff reform and there
Is no reason why it should not be
adopted except that the trusts would
kick vigorously and threaten to re.
dNce wages and otherwise make all
the trouble possible. But give them
little time and they would adjus,
their business to the lower level.
This is not ideal tariff reform, fol
there are many other Inequalities
that require adjusting almost al
much as the trust monopolies. but i
would do for a beginning and {
tariff for revenue only with hig1
rates on luxuries and low rates OF
necessities, which is the democratic
doctrine, will follow when the PEG
pie demand it.