Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
Non-Progressive Policy.

Progressive in all things else, the United
States alone among all the great nations
working under a protective policy still adj
heres TO the rigid single tariff, our practice
in this respect being observed at the present
time by only Servia and Portugal among
continental European states. The working
out of carefully considered and scientifi-
cally-constructed dual tariff, should, OF
course. go primarily into the hands of
high-class non-partsan commission of ex-
pert students of the currents of interna-
tional trade. The permanent commission
idea appears to meet special favor among
business men. To be sure. its findings would
not necessarily be binding upon Congress
under our present unsatisfactory system OF
making tariffs. but in time it seems fairly
certain that public sentiment would for the
most part insure the ultimate carrying out
of the chief recommendations flowing from
such an authorit alive source. Such a COM
mission could at least dig up facts and
print them. and publicity is now generally
recognized as the forerunner of reform. One
thing is sure, a commission could do no
harm and 1t might do a lot of good along
the line Of calling attention to such abuses
of the honest application OF protection as
may from time to time develop; and by way
of recommending the looping off here and
there of such excessive duties as would tend
to curb monopoly at home promote,
under the maximum and minimum system,
the sale of surplus commodities abroad.
This would tend In a measure to divorce
a great business question from politics
Meantime, If Congress would enlarge, as a
temporary expedient, the scope of section
of the existing law the President could in
all prOba bility adjust for the time being,
at least. the most pressing of our foreign
trade troubles at the moment of the i'm
pending collision with Germany. If this
is not done, a special session seems in
evitable.
Bargain With Germany.
THE return of the Presidents commits
sioners from Berlin is awaited with keen
interest both in and out of Congress. Many
western senators and representatives are
being pressed vigorously by their constitu-
ents to uphold the hands of the President
in case the basis of a bargain carrying
valuable trading privileges upon agricultur-
al products is revealed by the report soon
to be made upon our trade relations with
Germany. Until this report is given out,
it is. of course. waiting g;-me all around.
If the cOrn-belt and the range states see
a large new trade with continental Europe
looming up as a possibility out of the pend
ing negotiations most interesting Situa-
ton, and one having an important bearing
upon the early adoption of a settled policy
of Cancellation. is likely to develop at once.
1T begins TO look as if the agricultural
west is to play strong hand IN any In
vestigation of this question, and l am con-
WINGED that conditions are SO shaping them
selves that the consideration of--our bust
ness relations with sister nations cannot
much longer be delayed. In the German
crisis we have to deal with a nation rank
ing with our own in world commerce and
operating also under the protective system.
The adjustment of the trade relations of the
two greatest protectionist countries in the
world is no trifling matter. 1t cannot be
accomplished in day. 1t demands serious,
deliberate and intelligent investigation and
will not altogether await our own pleasure.
The problem must be faced and that too
without unreasonable delay. Another thing.
l am told, is helping to force the hand of
Congress at the present time in this mat
ter. to wit, the excessive prices now pre-
vailing for pig iron. Manufacturers, great
and small, throughout the entire country
who are consumers of that commodity see
in the soaring quotations for pig iron a dis
tinct menace to the prosperity of many i'm
portant industries.
Among business men everywhere there is
a disposition to deprecate tariff inquiries,
but when the Washington convention, DOM
mated as it was by great manufacturing
and mercantile interests. calls upon Con-
gress to make a beginning soon, it seems
that the President WILL in the near future,
ask Congress to take the matter up