The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-01-10
cuLLoM,s uropIAn SCHEME.
Folly Of supposina the Tariff Can 81
Taken Out Of Politics.

Senator Cullom OF Illinois is repor'
ed as proposing to introduce, In ths
/ senate. Joint resolution providing TO
| the creation of bipartisan com
mission" Of experts" TO report on tho
schedules OF the tariff and make such
recommendation as II may desire for
/ revision" We had such a commits
sion once, and 1t made a sad mess OF
H. The result was a series OF IN
.Tigues lasting for the whole life Of
the commission. a tanff fight at the
end. the defeat OF the Republican
party. a new tariff which Cleveland
would not sign, a few years OF misery
under II. and final return to the
sound principles of protection.
The folly of Senator Cullom Is fun
damental Il assumes that the tariff
question can be anything but a polit
/ zeal question. Protectionlsts and free
trade men differ radically. Protec-
/ tionists believe that every American
industry which Is capable Of supplying
domestic demands for its products
with a sufficient surplus TO permit do
nestle competition TO set up should be
protected. The amount of protection
does not matter. so that Il Is enough.
| Its object Is to give the American mar
ket 10 the American producer. II II
does this. Il satisfies the protection
lists. II IL DIS not, they wish the
tariff TO be made higher All other
products they would admit free. and
n In the protected articles the tarin is
not made prohihitiye. il is owing 10
the necessities Of revenue. The ma.
tlonal government cannot do without
some revenue from imported articles.
and the policy OF protectionists Is such
reasonable adjustment Of dsues as
will produce the necessary revenue. 10
be laid on competitive or non-competi-
tive commodities. as may seem best.
preferably on articles imported large
~ but which. like sugar. We produce
TO some extent The free traders
have an entirely different theory. II
they could they would abolish all tax
on imports except port and lighthouse
dues. But they also are constrained
by the necessity OF revenue and recog.
nlze that there must be a tarin law.
In framing IL. however. they would
levy duties. so far as possible. ON com
modities which we cannot or do not
produce and. therefore. must import
They do this because revenue being
their only reason for consenting 10
any tariff on imports they choose
those articles which We must import.
because from them the most certain
and largest revenue can be got from
the smallest number OF commodities.
They do not give protection any con.
sideration whatever While all this Is
the theoretical policy of the two par
ties. practically all American tarin
laws have been compromises. With a
free trade congress the tariff would
give the least possible protection. A
protectionist congress would give the
most possible protection.
The question Of protection or free
trade Is a matter Of opinion. On that
the American people have always d.
vided The Republican party has al
most no permanent distinctive doc.
trine except that OF protection. The
Democratic party has almost no per.
manent distinctive doctrine except
that OF free trade. To take the tarin
question "out OF politics" would leave
neither party much OF anything ex.
cept a scramble for Offices. under op-
portunist pretenscs such as the Dem
ocratic party now makes with respect
to the passing issues OF the day. The
Republican party IS now In power. II
is responsible for carrying on the gov
ernment On such vital question as
that OF the tariff the leaders have no
right to take Democrats into counsel.
Let a Republican congress assume re-
sponsibility for legislation or no legis-
lation on Republic principles and al
low the Democrats the privilege Of
voting the other way and bringing the
people To their views. II they can
San Francisco Chronicle.