The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-02-12

The Protective Tariff League has
lately resolved that it is quite ready to
endorse the suggestion of Secretary
Taft for maximum and minimum
tariff, provided; that the minimum
tariff on foreign products shall at all
times fully represent the difference
in cost of production and that the
maximum tariff shall be levied upon
the products of all nations which dis
criminate against the exports of the
United States" That, of course,
means that the present rates are to be
the maximum rates for the products
of those countries (which discriminate
against the exports of the United
States. These resolutions of TIE
League are evidently intended to be a
threat to the Republican tariff revision
lists and also to Germany and other
countries that have maximum rates es-
tablished. For it will be remembered
that when the German government en-
acted it's new tariff Congressman Nc
Cleary, IF Minnesota, who has been the
faithful spokesman of the League and
the standpatters, Immediately intro
duced his bill providing for twenty
five per cent. increase of the present
tariff rates as the maximum rates to
be paid on products of countries dis
eliminating against American goods.
That was in February 1906, and Con-
gresham McCleary boosted that his
threat had the effect of forcing the
German government TO postpone put
ting its maximum rates into immediate
effect. In fact, Secretary Root ar
ranged with the German government
to give this country the advantage of
the new minimum rates until July l,
1907, with the promise that Congress
would be asked to modify the traiff
rates on German goods, or at least al
low them to be imported at the invoice
prices and without appraising them as
of greater value than the import in
voices showed.
Instead of President Roosevelt re-
commencing the present Congress to
make these concessions to Germany,
he sent tariff commission to Berlin
to investigate and report the precise
concessions that must be made by both
countries to effect treaty or under
standing. The report of such commits
sion is soon expected to be made, and
it is quite possible that the President
may call a special session of the Six
tieth Congress to consider the report
and enact such tariff legislation as my
be necessary. This is why the League
has taken the bull by the horns and
declared for the only tariff revision it
may stand for, namely to revise the
tariff higher. The partisans of the
League and other Republican standpat-
tiers appear to have us in their
clutches, for they have a majority Of
the next House of Representatives and
even if enough Republicans bolted and
voted with the Democrats to force the
new committee on Ways and Means to
report reasonable tariff revision bill,
the Senate. with its Trust majority will
not consent to such reasonable revision
as will satisfy the German government.
On the other hand, unless some con-
cesSions are made to Germany there
will be great loss to our farmers and
exporters of the market for their
products on account Of the German pro-
hibitive maximum tariff rates that will
go into effect on July l next.
The Protective Tariff League and
the Republican standpatters, have got
us into this mess and 1t is for them to
protect us.