The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-10-24
PRICES AND TARIFF REFoRK.
How - n~adiastmesf she AID Ne made
in sh~ fstercst OF Honss
CanMumrpk.

We have tae authority Of Mr.. Hanna
that the protective terlT is TOO ScieR-
iIfcally adjusted 10 bc mtddled with.
Mr.. Hanna not being considered an
authority on the tariff, this informa-
iion would not be valuable had he not
been boss Of the republican party. no
Ear all that Mr.. Hanna has said about
congressional legislation has been at
tempted IL not accomplished, 40 that
we are forced 10 believe that II Ia not
intended 20 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 She preaeni iarin was
built WAS very simple. Each manuiae-
turing sr producing interest, except
the ordinary farmers and planters,
was invited To come before the repuh-
lican members 81 the ways and means
committee with schedule that would
protect les particular industry, and
the whole were then arranged under
the same schedule rs the Mckinley
tariff had been. Of course there were
some who wanted more protection
than was given them. the rate being ad-
iusied TO suit the general scheme. The
wool growers wanted q prohibitive
iariH, hut their interests FLASHED with
che carpet and wooden manufacturers
who wanted free raw material, and
here vas where the scientific adjust
meni came into play. II was so with
some other Interests.
The proposed reform ~ placing on
the free list those trus, productions
that the trusts are selling abroad q, n
lower price than they are selling them
st home, would probably not affect
the revenues. for but few. II Spy. im-
poriaiinns are made under the present
tariT rate. aud II the foreigners at
tempt 10 import when the duty IS
removed. there will be no revenue pro-
duccd. for there ~ hardly much liksli-
hood Of the trusts allowing any impor-
tations. a. they will bring down their
price to the level where il would be I'M
profitable for the foreigner To attempt
Ia compete. The result, therefore,
would be that the price Of trust articles
would be reduced 10 consumers just
low enough 10 prevent foreign compr-
tition and thin would be the present
price less the tariff rate. about Is per
cent. All these trust-madr articles
would he reduced IN price. which would
about equal he foreign price with the
freight HRd profit added
This should not much interfere
with business, except the trust mo-
nopolies and the time for the change
from the high tariff ,o free trade In
these trusts articles could b. set far
enough ahead 20 allow the inhhers
and retailers to get rid Of ;hrir
stocks In anticipation Of the lower
prices that would prevail There is
nJthiug rc;sa,isr 1ystcr ,i1 about
this proposed tariff reform and there
Is no reason why II should not h.
adopted except that the trusts won 4
Kick vigorously and threaten 80 re-
ducc wages aud otherwise make all
the trouble possible. But give them
q little time and they would adjust
their business 10 the lower level
This Is not ideal tnrif reform. for
there arr many other inequalities
that rcquirr adjusting almost as
much as the trust monCpolics. hut II
would do for beginning and
tariff for revenue only with high
rates on luNuries and low rates on
necessities, which l. the democratic
doctrine, will follow when the pco.
pie demand Il.