The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-23
Hard Kicks From High
Tariff Gun.
Continued from Page Nine.)

OF the most prosperous in our his
tory This is also the testimony OF
frof Taussig in his tariff history of
the united States not alone as to the
year 1850 but as to that period gen
orally. The same authority tells us
that our cotton spinning industry never
grew more rapidly or prOspered more
than under the Walker tariff of 1916
Say Tariff is Good Pc" Sc.
THE truth is that the tariff bene-
ficiaries and the stand patters' have
abandoned argument. They virtually
say to us now that a high protective
tariff is good thing per Sc and ought
to last forever, and by this they mean
the present Dingley tariff. SO far
have the old arguments been aband-
oned, that it is not necessary now
for a particular industry. in order
to get protection to show that it can
not stand alone and make fair profits
on its own merits. A few years ago
q large deposit of borax was found
in California. The owners of it forth
with advertised that they could pro-
duCe borax at such low rates as to
undersell the world, which was the
fact. They Went to Washington and
expressly on the ground of their
ability to undersell foreigners, they
got a duty of five cents per pound on
borax They then began to sell
borax in England at rates far below
what they charged to American pur-
chases and are doing so now. But
this is only one of a multitude of like
monopolies which Cypress the public
and by no means the first in point of
time which has obtained protection,
not because it needed protection, but
because it would command votes.
of ont C
may ask An answer is supplied by
the tariff commission of 1888. They
said that reduction of duties was
due as a measure of justice to con-
sumers.
VIII Enforce the Law
"a duty which does not raise the
price of the article to the consumer,
fails of its object and is therefore
needless for purposes of protection.
If it does artifcially raise the price
then the consumer pays the difference,
which, as Hamilton said, is the same
thing as a bounty to the producer.
The bounties are piling up mountain
high. They are paid by the people.
The benefciares having induced the
government to shut out foreign COM
petition, form trusts and combinations
to stifie domestic competition. Not
all tho trusts and combines are found
ed on the tariff. but most of them are.
Their continued existence and their
mode of self -perpetuation lead TO the
belief that the country is no longer
governed by principles. but by inter-
ests The most effective remedy that
can be applied to the combinations or
trusts which owe their existence to
excessive tariff duties. is to reduce
the tariff rates, while the remedy
which can be effectively applied as
against the other combinations is to
enforce the law. This remedy /
pointed out in my response to the
notification committee, and also in
my letter of acceptance. That the
remedy can be made effective by an
administration disposed to enforce
the law cannot be doubted by any
student of that branch of the law.
1t is not doubted b ythe trusts who
have good lawyers to advise them.
And it is not questioned by the trusts
that a Democratic administration will
enforce the law.
1T is true, as all know, that exces-
sVe tariff rates have caused serious
injury to the great body of the peo-
pie. 1t has increased the cost of llV-
ing and added to the price of nearly
everything that the people must buy.
This is known of all men and they
should re needed. But it has been
so long a part of the policy of the
courts its reformation must be prud-
emily undertaken so as to prevent an
Immediate revolution in existing con-
ditionS.
81 pointed out in my response to
the notification committee how
gradual reduction of customs duties
may be accomplished without disturb
ing business conditions, this | adhere
to the method suggested. But the
work should be undertaken at once
in the interest of the whole people.
And it can only be undertaken by the
Democratic party. The Republican
party wi! pot attempt it. 1t, only
promises 5s,ieh-a revision as the friends
wish any" revision downward there
will be none in that direction, while
that party can prevent it. Any other
revision will not relieve the masses
And it to their relief that Congress
and the President should hasten"