West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-06-15
WHO PAYS THE TARIFF?
Is There Anyone Still Ignorant
Enough 10 Believe that the
Foreigner Does II.
.espec,al Correspondent Of The Argus.

content made glorious summer by
the President of the United States
and his pet cabinet officer, Secre.
tary Taft.
The decision by the latter, back
ed up the former, that all the sup
plies for the new Panama Canal
must be purchased any old place
in the wide world where they
can be got the cheapest, has just
raised merry old Ned and things
are popping around here like unto
a new Texas saddle or a painted
bladder. The standpatters are now
standing on their hind legs, wildly
waving their ears and paving the
earth, they do not want the tariff
disturbed and they see in this order
OF the President the very essence or
quintessence of tariff revision and
that downwards. The Democrats
are feeling bully over the thing,
because it proves absolutely their
contention that the protective tariff
has pu: up the price of things man
ufactured in the United States to
the consumers, else why would the
administration admit that these
things could be bought cheaper in
foreign countries ? 1t proves abso-
lutely the contention of the Demo.
Gratis in their last campaign book,
that prices of American made goods
could be bought for less in foreign
countries because the American
manufacturer made cheaper prices
to the foreign merchant than he did
to the merchant at home, and we
proved it by producing the prices
given TO foreign merchants which
were from ten to fifty per cent
cheaper to foreigner than to the
American merchant. Now, when
the President comes forward and
proves our contention by saying
that he can buy the structural steel
work for the canal which will cost
about $50, 900. 900, for $40, 900, 900,
thereby saving about SIo, 900, 900
to the American taxpayers in the
cost of the construction of the canal
itis an argument for the Democrats
that cannot be ignored and that
surely will come up IN the next ses
sion of congress and in which the
Democrats will eternally hammer
the immortal ichor out of the stand
pat Republicans on the tariff ques-
ton in the next session and there
are gong TO be warm times when the
next Congress meets nextOct., as il is
the avowed intention Of the Presi-
dent to call the extra session in
October to get action on the rail-
road rate fixing question. He is 60
ing to be disappointed in the thing
that he desires TO attain in the rate
fixing business because there is a
growing feeling since this Senate
Committee commenced its work
here and because Of the testimony
that has been adduced, that the In
terstate Commerce Commission is
q discredited governmental agency
and has not got sense enough TO fix
rates, even il it were given the pow
er, that the Elkins law in connec-
ton with the Sherman antitrust law
is entirely sufficient to prevent re.
bates and other discrimination
provided the present law is enforced
that now is on the statute books.
In the language of Rudyard Kipling
however, the railroad rate business is
another story and will touch upon
that latter.
The uppermost in the minds of
the Democratic leaders who are
here in the capital Of the nation, is
the question of the tauff and the
mine il opens up for the next ses-
sion OF the Congress when the Re
publicans get gay about the old
Dingley bill and the demand that
they be continued or raised, as in
the language OF Congressman Nc
Cleary, Of Minnesota, the only
way to revise the tariff is upwards. "
They will point to the object lesson
OF the President coming out in the
open and admitting the Demo,
cratic contention that the consum
ers pay the tariff tax. n he does
not then why does the President in
sist that il will cost the people OF
the United States more to buy the
things necessary to dig the canal m
United States than to 90 outside
and buy them in the markets Of the
world
The whole thing is in the inter.
est Of the Democratic party and the
opse Of Representatives will hinge
on the tariff question and the result
will be that the next House will be