The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-02-15
MERELY SUBTERFUGE
PLAN FOR MAXI
MUM AND MINIMUM TARIFF.
Secretary Root'G Scheme Really 10
Effort to Ektricate Party From
Dilemma Brought On BY Its
Protection to Trusts.

| mouthpleCe OF President Roosevelts
administration on other occasions. 1t
Is fair presumption that his declar'
alton for 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 tarin
! rates as the maximum, or reduce the
present tariff rates Tor minimum,
| the discussion OF the merits OF the
! proposition must necessarily be con-
fined at present TO the bald question
Of the practlcabllity Of a maximum
md minimum tariff, and whether such
/ form of tariff is TO the best interests
| u the people In the first place It Is
IN entirely new proposition TO the
/ got"rs, for probably not one out of a
/ hundred people ever heard of It be-
| lore. and Judging by the questions be-.
mg asked do not understand what
/ naXimum and minimum tariff rates
/ mean.
The present tariff bill in section
/ four provided for reducing the max
/ mum rates. through reciprocity trea.
/ !ios, to the extent of not more than
/ % per centum thereof. upon such
/ goods, wares or merchandise as may
/ Pc designated therein" Such rect.
. procitv treaties were made with n
| number Of countries by the Mckinley
administration, but the United States
senate refused to raify them, on the
/ objection Of Senators Aldrich, Lodge
/ and others, that to so reduce the
| protection to some Of their consttn.
| ents would ininrc them II is difficult
| TO sec how the same senator's would
agree to the minimum rates now pro-
| posed unless such minimum rates are
| made at least as 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
.
leaves agreements 10 be made with
other countries on what articles 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. There is, however. this differ.
ence between the two plans. In the
case OF reciprocity the treaties made
must be ratified By the senate, but
minimum duties can be put in effect
by executive order.
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 THAI the
maximum rates shall be the minimum
rates II the present rates were re-
tanned as the maximum. and the mini
mum rates were made so PEI cent
Jess. we should enjoy that much less
taxation on such of the products OF
other countries as were included In
their minimum rates. But IL must be
remembered that the articles covered
by the minimum rates do not include
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 tariff law would have
TO provide for the products of suck
countries as England being allowed
our minimum rates, which has no pro-
tective tariff, taxing only n few arti-
Giles to produce revenue, so OF course,
has no minimum rates to reciprocate
with. For 1t would be n great breach
of friendship for us to allow minimum
rates to Germany and continue to OK.
act minimum rates from England
There Is also the question OF how
such a tariff would apply 10 those
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 II they could not make the
same concessions. Z.
The Democratic position on tho
tariff issue is such that unless the
proposition for 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,
| Il would not receive the votes OF Dem
ocratlc congressman. The maximum
and minimum tariff plan is merely
q subterfuge o. the administration to
escape from the dilemma that their
! protection 10 the trusts has forced
them into with other countries. The
retallatory tariffs of Germany, France,
Canada and other countries. are about
to 20 into effect and that means the
exclusion of many of our products
from those countries and great loss to
our producers and exporters, In fact,
the Republican protective system Is
breaking down of It's own weight and
long headed politicians of the Root