The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-02-25
QUESTION OF THE TARIFF.
Groundless Fears of Protectionist.
= Leaders Concerning the Agi-
tatiOn of It,

! One OF the principal objections urged
in Washington against the trade con-
cessions to Cuba, which are dictated
not only by considerations of humans
/ ty, but also by our own requirement of
i larger markets, is that any legislation
on the subject will "open the tariff
question" 1t is not at all strange that
the leaders of the house of represents
atives should be reluctant to open the
tariff question, says the New York
/ Tribune. 1t is difficult issue to deal
with at best. No schedules can be made
without some heartburning, and when
| they are once settled naturally nobody
cares to raise the ghost. Even the most
perfect of tariffs at the time of it's en-
actment in few years, through com
/ mercial changes, becomes open to Just
criticism. The original duty on tin
/ plate, for instance, was true states
manshlp. and directly led to the build-
ing up of great industry. So ener-
! getic, however, have been American
manufacturers and so fertile their in
vention that now their business would
not be in the least affected if the duty
were cut in two. They could not sell
all their goods at the European price
and make profit, but they could COM
pete with the foreigner on his home
ground with certain part of their
product. This and other out of date
features of the tariff law are perfectly
well known, but there is no feeling
, aroused over them, and there will not
be until popular attention is directed
toward the tariff asan obstacle to the
accomplishment of some object on
which the heart of the country is set.
1 Then every abuse, every undue bit of
protection in the schedules will be
made target, and before passions are
cooled not only will the main thing
desired be accomplished, but the whole
tariff structure may be put in jeopardy.
The leaders have good reason for not
wanting to open the tariff question,
and there is no way by which they can
throw it wide open more surely than
/ by stubbornly refusing to do the OBJ
viously right thing by Cuba. The Amer
lean people are interested in this Gu
ban matter. They feel that a moral
obligation rests upon them. Their
good faith, their generosity, their rep
utation before the world as benef-
cent power dealing wisely and Justly
i with its dependents are at stake. If
congress does not promptly respond to.
their desires great popular indigna-
/ ton is sure to be awakened. Free
traders will take advantage of it to stir
up opposition to the tariff in general.
Already hundreds of people who have
( known and cared nothing about tha
tariff are being led by their sentiments
/, al interest in Cuba to abuse the pro.
tected interests and say that a tariR
ought to be abolished when it becomes
SO much our master that we cannot,
for fear Of disturbing it, pass little
/ simple law to relieve from want peo-
/ pie whose rescuers and protectors we
proclaim ourselves to be. If congress
wants to open the tariff question let
I, it turn a deaf ear to Cuba and the
/ American people who are interested in
Cuba. If it wants to leave that trou-
| blesome matter in peace, it will sat
isfy popular sentiment instead of pro-
/ voking it to Impotence with the whole.
/ protective system.
| There is really no reason why Cuban,
concession should precipitase general
tariff agitation. The Foraker law for
| Porto Rico did not, though it involved
more far-reaching tariff principles andi
was the subject of bitter contest andf
widespread controversy. If we cannot;
pass any law like that proposed for
/ N o
ton, how can we pass one rebuilding
the tariff wall between the United
States and the Philippines? The house,
| leaders have already found it possible
TO NEEDLE with the tariff by passing %
bill to meet the new conditions in the
| Philippines. and the excuse that the
conditions in Cuba cannot be dealt
with without crumbling the tariff
structure into ruins comes little too
late to be accepted. One would think
to hear such arguments that the tariff
was like one of those little glass TOYS
of the physicists called Rupert's drops,
which disappear in powder if the small
est tip of their glazer surface is broken.
For our part, we do not believe that
the protective tariff system is so use
less or so ridiculous that it must be-
/ kept in a locked case, and that our con-
gress cannot, for fear of Earring such
an idol, promptly and effectively deal
with conditions which it meets. As.
protectionists we decline to take any
such view. but regard tariff as use.
full and adaptable instrument of gov
, eminent, and we should think the pro-
tectionist leaders in congress would
be the last men in the world to ayow
that they could not do their obvious
duty to Cuba for fear the tariff could
i not stand the strain.
DRIFT OF OPINION.