The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-20

concern itself with the actual effects or
every rate Of duty upon every item of i'm
ports-efects upon government revenue
upon domestic prices. importations. home
productions and consumption. 1t would
analtze the constantly shifting conditions
of industry at home and abroad. Possess
ing such infOrmatio as might thus be
obtained Mr.. North holds that congress
would be In position to correct irregu-
larities in the tariff and remove incongrui-
ties without pulling up the. whole revenue
structure by the roots. 1t would be posi-
BILE, he thinks. slightly to modify the rate
on particular articles from year to year
so as to adjust the revenue to meet the
special requirements of the government,
without enduring the industrial disturb
| ance which the Very threat Of wholesale
revision entails.
Mr.. North discusses the old tariff COM
| mission Of 1882 to show, that 1t was not
what he had In mind. except In name. 1t
was temporary committee. which took
testimony, and much like congressional
committee, and formed a tariff much as
would such a committee. Congress was
simply delegating to it certain functions
which afterwards congress took pains to
| resume; it did not establish machinery for
the systematic study of the actual oper-
alton of the existing tariff. 1t had, in
| fact, but five months to cover ground
which could not be properly mastered in
| less than five years.
| Wherein the Law Is Out Of Date.
Interesting examples of the inadequacies
| of our present tariff making machinery
are recalled by Mr.. North. Commodity
after commodity formerly yielded large
| stream Of revenue which has now dried
up, because of the development of the in
| dustry at home, and while protectionists
can find no fault with this result of their
policy, they should recognize, he thinks
| the responsibility which it places upon the
| government to readjust customs duties tc
basis upon which revenue will accom-
| pany protection. He believes it will always
be an easy matter for this government tc
get such revenue it needs from GUS
TOMS So long as we import free Of duty
between $500. 600. 900 and $500. OOO. 900 annu-
ally we have a large untitled acreage
which, when. necessary, may be brought
in to cultivation. Slight changes in this
| free list would supply deficit or cut dowr
a surplus without the Industrial disorders
of wholesale revision. Ups and downs OF
revenue under our present system are
! measured not by the needs of the gov.
eminent but by the conditions, politica
and Industrial which happen to prevail
at the time the law Is made, and thi.
must continue to be the case until thu
government undertakes a permanent in
vestigation of the subject, with the view
of applying its results quickly. If simple
| tariff remedies might displace the surgica
operations of the past, a tremendous gai1
would be scored
This country has, since $780, enacted
three complete revisions Of the customs
tariff. and the rumblings of fourth on,
may now be heard. "A nation" Mr.. Nortl
lacon1cally says, "can adjust it's business
to any kind Of a tariff; no nation cal
stand the killing necessity of readjustint
its industries to radical changes in tariff
at frequent Intervals" And yet the aver
If low
seven years. The longest period withou
change was that between 1916 and 1857
And this is growing problem. In tn
early days Of the republic, tariff revision
was comparatively simple, but o-day
with fourteen great schedules, carryin,
rates or duty on more than 1000 differen
articles involving the commercial interest
OF a people at the very front of industrial
, nations. the situation is very different Il
hurry and in confusion these great SEIZED
ules are overhauled. Congress, it is true
r has we'll equipped committeeman, and Ger
tain important sources Of outside informa
z ton; elaborate hearings although of a.
. eNparty character yield some results, but
as whole, the guiding lights of congress
:, are so general in their character, so EN-
! plrclal and, in many instances, so mis-
leading that their very existence empha
+ sizes rather than obviates the necessity @
an agency from which exact informatio
|
rate. of duty upon every article. + ~,
III Now the direct effect of every change @
duty must be guessed at, Mechanical cal
culations readily show what the revenue
v Will be If the imports remain the same
t put' as they never do, even under tn
same rate of duty, the results of thes
computations are Of questionable value
+ Under the Mckinley tariff there was q
+ income variation of over $685. 600. 900 in tn
n three years Of the tariffs operation. In
i dustrial conditions changed. not the rate
;, OF duty. No other country leaves tnj
r legislative province at the mercy of sue
cumbersome methods as we. In Grea
Brlta1n the amount and, to degree g
r least, the character Of the annual taxa
y ton varies according to the needs Of tn
exchequer and the varying conditions E
industry. There is no revolution in tn
nscai system but an adaptation, or mod
ncatlon' from time to time Of the sam
of the occasion.