The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-09-12
THE TARIFF REVISION.

Should the tariff be revised, and
If so, when? Probably there is no
question so hotly debated, nor on
which there is greater difference in
the Republican party than this, and
1T is, moreover, in the opinion of
some of the ablest of the party lead
ers, the one proposition of which the
opposition may be able to make some
party capital That the tariff sched-
ules should not be touched by the
approaching Congress is very gen.
vanced for the postpOnement of the
important work are all sufficient.
Were the coming Congress to make
any changes from the Dingley sched-
ules. its action would be distorted
and misrepresented by the Democrat
ic press and by Democratic stump
speakers, and before the people
would have had time to learn the
falsity Or fallacy of such charges
and arguments they would be called
upon to express at the polls their
views in national election. Men
andwho had been told that their bus
mess would be seriously injured, If
not ruined, would fear the worst
and probably vote against the men
whom they held responsible, only to
learn too late that they had been
misled and deceived.
The policy advocated by the Pres
ident, by Secretary Taft and other
leaders of the party, however, con-
templates a special session of Con-
gress, called Immediately after the
new President shall have been inauS-
Grated and called solely for the pur-
pose of examining the tariff sched-
ules and altering such as may, by
changed conditions. have become lis
proportionate. Practically four years
will then elapse before another ma
tional election. two years before an
other congressional election. and by
that time the people will have learn
ed for themselves the truth concern
ing a Republican revision, or read
justment.
That the tariff requires some re-
adjustment is ass eybdtreetaOietaoi
adjustment is asserted by the ablest
students of the subject. with the sim
gle exception of the representatives
of those industries which are now
enjoying unfair profits as result
of the existing schedules. For liz
stance. the manufacturers of almost
every type of machinery insist that
they cannot benefit from the imprOv-
ed methods of manufacturing steel,
and thus purchase their raw mater
ial as reasonably as they should, UNI
til the tariff on steel is reduced. The
only opponent of such reduction APP
pears to be the Steel Trust Other
manufacturers maintain that their
business will be increased when some
of the materials they are compelled
to buy are reduced by a decrease in
the existing schedules. 1t is urged
thai it requires experts to datt rhine
what reductions may properly be
made. but Republican Congress can
always consult such experts. 1t
made the Dingley Law AMI proved
it was able to frame tariff law that
was beth wise and just, and TO as
sert that a Republican Congress can
not alter to meet changed conditions
the tariff law which it has made is
practically to assert that the Great
ure is greater than the creator. The
advocates of no change appear to
forget that those who urge revision
are not advocating revision by the
Democrats, who are always hostile
to the protective system. but read
justment by men who believe heart
lily in the policy of protection and
who will no more sacrifice American
Industries today, or two years from
placed the ridiculous Wilson-GOrman
tariff bill with the Dingley law.