The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-21
Tariff Revision Coming,
|HE BREAKING away of six
ty-four Republicans from
Il the control of the house "or-

ganization" in the voting
upon the Payne reciprocity bill meas
ures the growing feeling of unrest in
orthodox Republican circles and more
especially in the great agricultural dis
tricts of the Northwest and Middle
West, over the continuance of tariff
duties on articles no longer needing
protection, but actually. according to
reputable testimony, in some cases US
ing protection to advantage the foreign
at the expense of the home consumer.
1t no longer seems possible to doubt
that there are instances in which
highly protected industries have sold in
the foreign market for less than they
demand and exact in the home mar
ket, Notwithstanding the difference in
freights. We called attention, some
time ago. to letter read before a con-
ference of house Republicans by Con-
gresham Dick. of Ohio; a letter from
a manufacturer in Akron, o., Il con-
stituent of Mr.. Dick. who vouched for
his reliability. In this letter the charge
was made in detail, with names and
dates, that certain products manufac-
tured from steel could be bought of
American manufacturers in Germany
at prices so much below the home
prices that if there We're no duty to
pay the American purchaser could bet
ter afford to buy in Germany and re-
ship than to buy at home.
amt bor onroropra NIr Jittlaf.1I
of Maine, whose Republicanism, if un-
fettered, is certainly substantial and
staunch, read letter similar in kind.
1t was from Charles II. HanScon,
president of the Eastern Shipbuilding
company, of New London, Conn, one
of the largest merchant ship-building
plants in the country, and among other
things it said: 1T seems to me that
the protective duty on steel material is
not needed at the present time, as our
manufacturers are able to sell steel in
England at 80 cents per 100 pounds,
thus underselling the British manufac-
turers, but. owing to our protective
duty. at the same time this steel was
being sold in England at 50 cents.
American ship-builders We're paying
Sligo and upward per 100 pounds. At
the present time. steel material enter
ing into the construction of vessels for
foreign trade is admitted free of duty
] think it would be quite beneficial to
shi!,-buil0ing interests if this steel
could also be admitted free for vessels
which are to engage in domestic trade"
The conditions here noted are viewed
with suspicion by thousands of Re-
publicans who are thoroughly loyal to
the doctrine of protection as they un-
derstand il; namely, a tariff for pro-
lection but not for eNtortion. The de-
cison of the Republican leaders in
congress not to undertake Il revision of
the prevalent tariff duties at this ses-
sion was undoubtedly wise. for the rea-
son that many more pressing matters
demand attention and business condi-
tions, being prosperous, should not be
unnecessarily disturbed. Yet it is as
plain as anything in the future can be
that the time is not remote when there
will be either Il revision made by hands
friendly to the true doctrine of protec-
ton or Il revision by hands openly or
secretly hostile to all forms of protec-
ton.