Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-02-14
MERELY SUBTERFUGE
REPUBLICAN PLAN FOR MAXI.
MUM AND MINIMUM TARIFF.
Secretary Roots Scheme Really Is
Effort to Extricate Party From
Dilemma Brought On BY Its
Protection to Trusts.

AS Secretary Root has been the
m%outhpiece of President Roosevelt's
administration on other occasions, it
is a fair presumption that his declar-
alton for a maximum and minimum
tariff bill in his late Washington
speech is intended to be put forth as
the administration program. AS Mr..
Root did not indicate whether it is
proposed to increase the present tariff
rates as the maximum, or reduce the
present tariff rates for a minimum,
the discussion of the merits of the
proposition must necessarily be con-
fined at present to the bald question
Of the practicability of a maximum
and minimum tariff, and whether SUCH
a form of tariff is to the best interests
of the people. In the first place it is
an entirely new proposition to the
voters, for probably not one out of a
hundred people ever heard of 1t be-
fore, and judging by the questions be-
ing asked do not understand what
maximum and minimum tariff rates
mean.
The present tariff bill in section
four provided for reducing the max
imum rates, through reciprocity trea-
ties, ito the extent of not more than
20 per centum thereof, upon such
goods, wares or merchandise as may
be designated therein Such reci-
procity treaties were made with a
number of countries by the Mckinley
administration, but the United States
senate refused to ratify them, on the
objection Of Senators Aldrich, Lodge
and others, that to SO reduce the
protection to some of their constitu-
ents would injure them. 1t is difficult
to see how the same senators would
agree to the minimum rates now pro,
posed unless such minimum rates are
made at least al high as are the
present rates of duty. The principal
difference between reciprocity and the
maximum and minimum tariff Is that
under the latter congress specifies
both rates, while in the reciprocity
provision in the present tariff, con-
gress specifies the maximum rates and
leaves agreements to be made with
other countries on what articles a re-
duction, or minimum rates not exceed
ing 20 per cent, shall be charged, in
return for similar concessions on the
part of the country that joins in the
treaty.
AS the Republican congress will not
want to cut down the present maxi
mum rates, or in any event would not
want to reduce those rates of duty
that shelter trusts, the only question
remains of how much less than the
maximum rates shall be the minimum
rates. If the present rates were re-
tanned &s the maximum, and the mini
mum rates were made SO per cent
less, we should enjoy that much less
taxation on such of the products of
other countries as were included in
their minimum rates. But it must be
remembered that the articles covered
W IhS MINIMUM lotCO w lLOI lllCluuC
everything, but only such as are Sc
lected for the sacrifice, because they
have not sufficient influence to pre-
serve the protection of the maximum
rates. Such a tariff law would have
to provide for the products of such
countries as England being allowed
minimum rates, which has no pro-
tective tariff, taxing only a few arti-
cles to produce revenue, so of course,
has no minimum rates to reciprocate
with. For it would be a great breach
of friendship for us to allow minimum
rates to Germany and continue to ex-
act minimum rates from England.
There is also the question of how
such a tariff would apply to those
countries with which we have treaties
of amity with agreement to vouch-
safe to them the same treatment as
to the most favored nation" SO that
we should be compelled to give such
nations the advantage of minimum
rates even if they could not make the
same concessions.
The Democratic position on the
tariff issue is such that unless the
proposition for a maximum and min
imum tariff bill shall reduce quite
largely the present protection to the
products of the trusts and combines
and place coal, hides, lumber and
other raw materials on the free list,
it would not receive the votes of Dem
ocratic congressman. The maximum
and minimum tariff plan is merely
a subterfuge of the administration to
escape from the dilemma that their
protection to the trusts has forced
them into with other countries. The
retaliatory tariffs of Germany, France,
Canada and other countries, are about
TO go into effect and that means the
exclusion of many of our products
from those countries and great loss to
II producers and exporters. In fact,
the Republican protective system Is
breaking down of its own weight and
long headed politicians Of the Root
stripe e that something must he
done to save u commerce.