The age-herald., 1901-06-07
PRESENT TARIFF
 LAW BENEFICIAL
So Declares Congressman Tay-
 Ter to Industrial Commission
SAYS DISCUSSION DAMAGES
Farmer Benefited By Present DineIey Law, He Announces-Dr. George Gunter of New York Social Eco
 homie Institute Also Take.

Washington. June 6.-The Industrial Commission at it's session today consid- cred the tariff question with incidental reference to trusts, the witnesses being Congressman Robert w. Tayler of Ohio and Dr. George G. Gunten. president of the New York Institute of Social Eco- nomics
 Mir. Tayler took the position that any discussion in Congress of the tariff at this time would have damaging effect upon the country. He said the Dingley law was the mast equitable tariff law that the United States had ever had. He took decided position against trusts, and aid that they are not fostered by the protective tariff. He also said that he believed in the principle of reciprocity. but that he did not endorse any of the recently negotiated reciprocity treaties.
 MT. Tayler announced the general prin- ciple that the history of the country, for the past few years. and the present. con ditlons, demand that there should not be the slightest relaxing of the tarin principles as now embodied in the Ding ley law. The relation of the tariff to lTuSLdp It6 SdiQs IS OIly iiiCioShtaH AAS Dingley tariff law embodied, he said, the Idea that the American civilization is on a higher plane than any other and re- quires a higher reward for It's labor to maintain the excellency The labor here costs more than elsewhere, and of course just compensation Is had. Even the for mer he said, gets reciprocal benefit
 How is the farmer benefited by the tariff on steel?" asked Colonel Living ston
 Tn the first place." replied the witness, "there is not much tariff on iron and steel, except possibly on tin plate. We pay out in wages not less than S20,O0O,OO0 That means that the consuming power of the American people at home Is increased to that extent, and I think that the eff feet of the increased consumption is suff- cient to recoup the farmers for any sup posed cost to him of iron and steel which he may purchase.'
 MT. Tayler announced himself as op- posed to the principle involved in the trusts because, he said, he considered hu- man nature too weak to entrust in a few people such a power as is involved in trusts. He thought abuses were certain, and that the result would be what he call ed governmental socialism or govern mental ownership of the articles con- trolled by the trusts.
 MT. Tayler said that distrustful as he was of the 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 Com pany, he said that it's securities amount to an $1, ,500, 100000 while the cost had not been one-third that amount. He had no would demand returns upon them. He said he would oppose the Babcock bill placing iron products on the free list be- cause the result would be to destroy in- dependent effort.
 Dr. Gunton devoted himself especially to replying to an argument recently made before the commission by Edward AtSin- son for free trade. MT. Gunton said that the freedom contended for by opponents of the tariff is analogous to the freedom of a savage, freedom which if indulged 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 justi- fled in organizing against capital for the protection of it's interests He said that when the opinion got abroad that theories akin to MT. Atkinsons were about to be enacted into law, there came near being general bankruptcy