Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-04-27
POINTS AGAINST REVISION.
Facts Regarding a Protective Tariff
Which Are Most Con-
vincing.

A very interesting and highly Valua-
BILE contribution 10 the discussion of the
question as to when the tariff should be
revised is made through the columns of
the American Economist by Francis
Curtis, who evidently has given the mat
ter earnest and careful study. AS re
suit, says the Troy Times, what he says
is educative in the highest sense, as it
sets before the American people facts
which must be dispassonately and in
telligently considered in order to arrive
at impartial conclusions and to be guild
ed to prudent action. Mr.. Curtis re-
views at length the causes and results Of
the various tariff enactments by the
American congress, and his statements
therefore have the force of indisputable
truth, free from all merely academic dis
cussiOn.
To those who steadfastly advocate
protection because of the conviction that
thereby can the best interests of Amerl-
can industry be safeguarded it is most
significant that the nation started with a
protective tariff, enacted in 1889 and ap-
proved by President Washington. That
tariff was maintained unchanged until
1912, when to meet the needs arising
from the war with Great Britain the
rates were uniformly increased 100 per
cent, the higher duties TO remain in
force until one year after the conclusion
of peace. This left the revised tariff Of
1912 in force until February II, 1916.
The return to lower rates was marked
by disaster, and period of great depres
sion ensued. Mr.. Curtis says: Our
present reyisionists would do we'll TO
study with great care the conditions and
the results of that period of history. For
eight years we suffered as only a nation
can suffer when she buys her goods
abroad and her own artisans are idle
and unproductive."
This calamitOus condition of things
continued until 1924. when a tariff law
intended to be highly protective was
passed, and of which President McKin-
ley, probably the broadest-minded pro
tectionist in recent public life, re-
marked: The nation was Quickened
into new life, and the entire country
under the tariff moved on to higher tri-
umphs in industrial progress. and TO
higher and better destiny for all of its
people" That tariff was further re-
vised in 1928 in the direction of in
creased duties. and this because many
of the foremost men in public life had
become convinced of the value Of pro-
lection. Among them was included
Daniel Webster who from free trader
had developed into an ardent protec-
zionist. That period was also character
lied by the manifestation of the hostile
spirit in the south which found express
sion in notification and later in open re-
sistance to federal power
Subsequent dealings with the tariff
are carefully but succnctly treated by
Mr.. Curtis, and he reaches conclusions
which are impressive. He shows that
while there have been reasons for
changes in our tariff laws uncOnnected
with the wants of our labor and indus
tries, such as the question of revenue,
the main consideration has been
whether or not we should have protec-
ton. On the revenue side the people
have never been united 1t has been
claimed that low duties would bring
large receipts, but as a matter of fact
in actual operation the opposite has
been the case. AS to economic results
Mr.. Curtis says: The history of cur
tariff laws shows that in every instance
since the foundation of the government
where the existing tariff or any part of
it has been reduced there have followed
disastrous consequences in all or part
of our industries. There has not been
single exception, not one On the other
hand, it can be said that in every in
stance where the tariff has been in
creased as a whole, or upon single indus
tries, those industries and the CONNER