Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-04-16
INTERROGATORY
THE PORTLAND OREGONlAN ASKS
SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS
Concerning Tariff Reductions. The iowa
Idea" is Spreading to the Pacific Coast.
In Discussing the Matter, the Merits OF
the Case Are Avoided, and Glittering
GeneraIites INDUCED in.

We are told that the tariff should lie
accurately adjusted from time to time to
the cost of production. No ons will pre-
tend that the cost of production has re-
manned stationary since the Dingley bill
was passed six years ago. 1t is better,
perhaps, to say that the tariff shonld not
be changed just before a presidential
election, and let It 90 at that 1t is bet
ter not to wander far upon the quagmire
of actual fact.
The tariff should be changed wherever
and whenever necessary Chat is to say,
neverl, upon the basis OF the difference
in cost OF production between this coun-
try and abroad. We make steel bllets
and deliver them in England about So
ton cheaper than the Englishmen can.
This is the testimony of President Schwab
OF the steel trust. Accordingly we should
pay bounty OF So a ton on steel i'm
ported from Europe, instead of allowing
our steel men bounty of 81 ton on all
steel imported in competition with their
cheaper processes.
Undoubtedly, it is said, there are in
capabilities in the tariff, and they should
be corrected wherever and whenever
necessary Chat is to say, never). But
what are the inequalities? Is it not
little remarkable, come to think OF it,
that not one OF the "stand-patters. from
Hanna down, or up, has ever mentioned
definitely single one of the inequalities
to which frequent reference is vaguely
made, and whose correction is so cheer
fully promised from year to year end
rom age to age? They are plentiful
enough in the Steel and boots and shoes,
and implements, and locomotives, and
sugar, and salt, and paper and copper
.chedues but neither Aldrich nor ALI
son ever heard OF them. They are afraid
if they do it will make votes fer the
democratic party. They are more solic-
itous for their party than for common
justice to the people.
But we should not reform the tariff,
because tariff reform will not destroy the
trusts. This does not quite cover the
case. In the words of the prophet, the
bed is shorter than that man may
stretch himself on it, and the blanket is
too abbreviated to cover him. | cannot
buy you watch, my son, for W ,tch
will not keep your back warm in winter.
There may possibly be other uses Of tariff
revision than to destroy the trusts. 1t is
the idoized goal of the "stand-patters"
to dssociate the tariff question and the
trust question. The trust question must
stand on it's own bottom. So be it. The
tariff may stand also on its own bottom.
The question as to the tariff, therefore, is
not whether it will destroy any trusts or
not, but whether in al it's aspects it is
right and just, sound and necessary.
Tariff reform will not destroy bedbugs,
either; but it will destroy old abuses
and lift from the people heavy burdens
OF unnecessarily high prices which they
have carried long.
Every inequality Of the tariff should be
corrected. Well, is the tariff on steel
equal? Oh, but this is great aud glori-
GUS country. Well, is the tariff OF % per
cent on boots and shoes necessary? Oh,
but we are the greatest manufacturing
nation on earth. Well, is the copper
trust not able at length to stand alone,
without free copper and high duties on
it's finished products? Oh, but the tariff
should be revised by its friends. Kindly
show why the anthracite trust can endure
free coal, but the steel trust cannot en-
dure free iron. Oh, but our workingWen
must be protected from the pauper labor
of Europe. Will the republican party
ever revise the tariff, except to make it
higher, as it did with the Mckinley and
the Dingley bills? Oh, but there is a
presidential election approaching, and
we shall need campaign funds from the
protected corporations.
If the tariff is business question and
is to be settled OIL reference to cost OF
production, cost of labor, ETC., why is it
we never mention these industries by
name and discuss the cost? Why is it
that We fight so shy Of the merits Of the
case and reply to every definite inquiry
with only the most glittering generalities ?
Is it because we are afraid of too close
investigation into the ability OF our in
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