The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-14
TARIFF REVISION
TALK PERSISTENT
Despite Cannon and the Stand
Patters, !" Discussions and
Protests Arise.
Cummins at National Capital De-
clares Revisionists Have 81
Fixed Intentions.
Snecial to The Journal 1

Special to The Journal.
Chicago. Dec. l4.-Walter Wellman,
in Washington speclal to the Record-
Herald, says:
5 Tariff talk comes to the front whether
Speaker Cannon and the other hlgh
priests of standpatlsm like II or not..
Exposure of the duties eolleeted l,o6 rang 11e.
cent on the actual value Of imported
necessities and luxuries, has caused an
uproar Of protest, discussion, specuiae..
ton and inquiry. The Philippine tarlH
question is bringing out the loud |: now nov,
from the beet sugar and other highly
protected interests, who declare their
nnwillingness to make the slightest con-
cessions to the poor Filipino and gem
erallv manage to disgust people who are
willing to live and let live. Both re-
publicans and democrats continue to to
discuss the. tariff up at the house OF
stratum of interest in the subject.
Cummins at Capital. -@sr,s
Governor Cummins of Iowa, leader
Of the tariff revisionists, has been in
Washington several days. He did not
effort to agitate, but his mere presence
at the capital called general attention
to the topic. =
EsThere is one thing I should like to
have understood,' said Governor Cum
minis. "The men who believe in a: re-
vision of the tariff by the, republican
party have definite method and prln-
want and what they are about. They
are not free traders: They are not even
low tariff men. They are not demo-
Gratis. They are. republicans and pro-
tectionists. Their principle is simply
this:
ciple is that when the cost Of produc-
ton of given article is less in a for
eign country than in the United States,
then a tariff should be imposed that
makes up the difference. 1t doesn It
matter whether the difference is great
or small, the duty should eaualize. :
Readjust the Law.
"With this principle as our guide,
we revisionists would readiust the pres.
emit tariff law. We would make a tariff
that exactly compensates for the diff
ference in the cost of production as
nearly as it can be ascertained-no
more, no less. 1t is very largely cues;
ton OF fact, not OF opinion, nor OF
sentiment nor speculation.
"Once admit the principle, and the
making of tariff is essentially an af
fair Of thoro inquiry into existing econ
omic conditions. Those conditions are
Is rapidly changing. we Del1eV6 Jarln
that met conditions nearly a decade
ago no longer meets them in many i'm
portant particulars.
Steel Rails as Example.
"To use familiar illustration, we
do not believe steel rails should enjoy
protection of $40 a ton if the differ
ence between the cost Of making rail:
abroad and in this country is only S:
ton. We do not believe. that tariffs
exceeding 100 per cent of the actua
+ cost Of articles are defensible; W.
believe in tariffs equal to the sdifferenc.
in cost, not to the whole cost. Western
republican protectionists who are; ais
revisionists do not believe in making
tariff for one state or for one sec
ton or for one industry. All SHOULD
stand on the principle Of compensatin,
for the difference in the cost of pro
duction at home and abroad, and wit
that rule of fair play reinforced lie
every Individual, industry, state an
section work out it's own prosperity i
its own way, without disadvantage an
without special privilege. Let the sam
rule be applied to ALL