The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-08
CAN'T SUPPRESS TARIFF TALK
NEF YORK REPUBLICAN, SPEAKS
FOR REVISION.
He Cites the American Smelling Company
to Illustrate the Necessity for Revising
at Least One Schedule-Earse Fortunes
Built Up From the Tariff on Lead.

Built Up From the Tariff on Lead.
WASHINGTON. April 7.-Speaker Cannon
and Leader Payne have not succeeded in
suppressing tariff revision sentiment OF
the Republican side by their recent declara-
lions to the effect that there would be moth
ing doing on that line in this Congress.
Mr.. Perkins Of the Rochester, n. Y, dis
trict, expressed his views to-day upon the
subject, using the American Smelling Com
pany to illustrate the necessity for a re-
vision Of at least one schedule of the Ding
ley act. He admitted, in view Of the state
ments by Messrs Payne and Cannon, that
there was probably no use in tariff discus
sion, but he thought 1t would still go on.
despite the desire of those gentlemen that
it should cease.
Good friends Of the tariff he went on,
have always desired that any changes in it
should be made by the Republican party,
the Republican party will not axe any
changes they will some day be made by
those whose action will be less considerate,
less friendly and less wise. 1t is not the
first time in the worlds, history that it has
been solemnly decided that no change
should be made in existing conditions, and
It will not be the first time in the world is
history when solemn resolutions of that
character nave come to nau ght.
In the meantime no harm can be done
If we examine a few items in our present
tariff system. We all know that any tariff
schedule that was deemed to he injurious
could be got rid Of by itself; all that we need
to do is TO adopt a rule prohlbltinglamend-
ments, as is done almost every day, and
then pas the bill in that form. 1t would
be open TO amendment at the other end OF
the Capitol, but probably no one fears that
the Senate will be radical in its desire for
extensive tariff changes. In other words,
we can change anything we want 70. The
only thing to be decided is whether we
want to.
Il am little interested in the outcry against
so-called trusts. Many of them are the
necessary results of commercial develop
ment; business Is done on a large scale and
great corporations have come 10 stay.
But when we find the Government itself,
by the operation Of its laws, helping to
build up a combination that controls an
important branch Of business, pouring
into its pockets millions Of dollaTs that are
taken out of the pockets Of others, enabling
it TO give value to vast quantities of stock
made from water, unadulterated by a dollar
of intrinsic value, then we meet a different
question. II a man or a combination OF
men can make millions or hundreds of
millions legitimately. the Government may
well leave them alone; it is not one OF its
functions to incite attacks upon these who
are largely prosperous if their great pros
perity has come from the natural workings
of economic laws. But it is a different
proposition when the Government, by its
own act, enables favored individuals to
build up fortunes Of hundreds Of millions,
coming out Of the pockets of other citizens
who are certainly quite as much entitled
to the Governments protecting hand
Mr.. Perkins recited the history of the
organization of the American Smelling
Company, and asserted that hundreds of
millions and over of the common stock
Of that corporation and its subsidiary
organizations was water. pure and un-
adHlterated. dividends upon which had
been made possible by the tariff of IA cent
a pound on lead. Manufacturers in Toronto.
he had been informed. could purchase
pig lead from 2 to 2H cents a pound less
f fhaa it 9 on fhis be side uF Of the lia by T E1eTy
person in the United States who used a
pound Of lead in 1905 paid 5.65 cents, when
without the tariff he might have obtained
it for 3.65 cents.
No one really believes Mr.. Perkins
out Of the mines in this country than il
does in England. This difference in price
does not represent q difference in cost to
the American Smelling Company, but
furnishes an additional profit.
1t is the additional profit made possible
by the Dingley schedule that has made
some reams Of printed paper worth prob
ably $3.50, 900, 900. Plainly, the duty was
not required to equalize any difference in
the cost Of production in this country.
Heaven forbid that | should say that the
tariff was the mother of trusts. but occa-
sionally there is some Legitimate. child
that certainly looks as if to the tariff il
owed its existence. Object lessons like
this may not be considered by the legis-
lators who are opposed to any tariff
able that they will nave their effect upon
the people who choose legislators"