Charlevoix county herald., 1907-02-02
TARIFF REVISION PROGRAM.
Postponement Until 1909 Should Meet
Views of All Sensible Republicans.


1t comes more or less authoritative
ly from Washington that there will be
no further talk OF tariff revision at
this time. That decision is in accord
ance with sound common sense. The
country is at the present time at the
height OF prosperity and it would be
folly to undertake to revise the tariff
at such time. That there are some
schedules which might be changed and
which ought to be changed may be
admitted and is admitted by all. No
one can be such fool as to contend
that any taxation scheme is perfect.
The tariff is in it's very nature one Of
the most complicated compromises in
our national enactment And it is be-
cause of these complications and COM
promises that many people have hon
estly opposed any tariff changes or
tinkerings at this time, fearing that
more harm than good would come
from such procedure.
Gov. Cummins, of Iowa, began this
agitation even before President Roose-
welt was inaugurated. He tried to
force it into the national platform of
Chicago and he went to Detroit and
told an audience about that time that
he was for revision now, Immediately,
by this congress (meaning the con-
gress then in SESSION. and he kept
up until he said finally, and we be-
lieved then and still believe, unwisely,
that all the insurance graft of all the
insurance companies of all time did
not equal onc-fifth of the tariff graft
in one year. That was the other eX-
treme. We do not now believe that
the governor meant what he said He
could not have meant it, but he was
carried away with the facility of utter
ance that has been given him, and he
was annoyed at the delays in a matter
for which he had been special advo
cate. 1t was in utterances like these
that many Republicans found the ami
mus Of their opposition to the present
governor.
The postpOnement of tariff revision
until 1909, that is until after the pres
dential election of 1908, will meet, we
believe, with the appreciation of nearly
all Republicans. Even the governor of
Iowa, who has been SO insistent on
this question, cannot but acquiesce in
the decision of the wisest leadership
in congress, with the advice and con-
sent of the president.
To undertake tariff revision now
would be a most disastrous proceed
ing, not merely from a party stand
point, although that is not unimpor-
tant but from a financial. and indus
trial standpoint. 1t will be easier and
create less disturbance if done imme-
diately after the next presidential cleo
ton. When it is done at that time the
new tariff cannot be made an imme-
diate and bitter political issue, but
the new schedules can be put into ef-
feet with the least disturbance. The
conditions Of the country in the mean
time may undergo serious changes
and this program on the tariff will
have to be varied accordingly, but the
fact that there is to be no revision
until then will in itself be an impor-
tant factor in the continuance Of our
present high prosperity The agree
ment reached in Washington is one
of the best assets in our continuance
in prosperity.
1t is to be hoped that there will be
no Republican dissent to this pro-
gram, and We feel certain that it will
not come from the governor of Iowa,
who has been learning some wisdom
and moderation on such issues. The
agreement is satisfactory to the busi-
ness interests, and the politicians
ought to see it in that way.-Cedar
Rapids Republican.