The Washington herald., 1907-08-20

er the tariff had not in respect TO many
articles by a change in conditions become
excessive.
Association All ProteetiOnists.
This National Association Of Msnufac-
turers is composed almost wholly of pro-
tectionists and l think we may safely
say. therefore. Of Republicans. / am ad-
vlsed that the association represents all
classes Of manufacturers IN this country
and that majority Of the manufacturers
/ OF consequence are members. The com
mittee reports: We are all protection
ists-there are a very few brilliant excep-
tions. but so few that We may repeat the
statement. We are protectionists- The
committee lays down in its report the
following doctrine. which seems TO me Of
( the orthodox Republican type:
Protection. as the word implies. re-
euires that the tariff schedules be such as
protect our manufacturers against undue
pressure from foreign competition, and
maintain our high wage scale and stand
ard Of living. The minimum measure Of
protection IS. therefore as President
/ Roosevelt said, The difference IN the cost
Of production In this country and abroad.
These protective schedules thus figured.
must carry with them a very ample mar
gin for safety. It must make full allow
ance for the possibility Of hard times
abroad and good times here for dumping,
and all OthSr contingencies. This done.
/ It is truly protective: and It Is only so as
| 1t covers these features and nothing
more"
,f.- s.-s.-- -. 4,,- f,. .b. .7.-,
were some articles in which the tariff
was hardly nigh enough, the conclusion
/ OF the committee was stated as follows:
"C0nfiaing ourselves 10 the protective
/ principle, we find many schedules-sOme
/ Of them upon the prime necessities Of life
returning the government no revenue OF
/ consequence. and yet. under the claims
OF the protective theory, bearing a tariff
| schedule not merely equal to the differ
ence in the cost of production here and
abroad with all reasonable contingencies
allowed for, but decidedly in excess of
I the total wage cost Of production in this
country.
I'VE find some Of these schedules many
times in excess Of the difference between
/ the cost of production here and abroad.
/ We find that individuals who are at the
/ top, both in stock holdings and in man.
agement in some Of these same indus
/ tries. declare privately that these sched-
! ules are wrong. and that the best inter
/ es. Of those industries themselves, as
! well as the interests OF the country al
! large. require adjustment at the earliest
/ possible moment They say that now is
/ the time for revision, while the country
/ Is so prosperous that adjustment may
easily be made to new conditions"
Vote of Association.
In that body Of members Of 1,SOO-S50. OF
20 per cent, were radically opposed to re-
vision; s per cent were opposed to re-
vision at this time lest II unsettle busi-
ness; So per cent wished revision: and Il
per cent were Indifferent OF uniformed
Taken by industries, out Of Il different
/ industries tabulated. 56 voted for revision
casting a total Of 1.5l0 votes; 16 industries
voted against revision. casting total OF
/ 102 votes; industries were each tied in
their votes, casting a total of 2s votes.
The association then. by resolutions
| passed by a large majority. declared itself
/ in favor Of a revision Of the tariff at me
/ earliest practicable date
/ I have not cited the report or action OF
/ the National Association of Manufacture
ers as conclusive upon the character OF
/ the present schedules, nor do I assume
/ that the manufacturers of the country
embrace all the classes who are interest
/ ed in maintaining the protective system
/ for I fully recognize that other classes
! especially the farmers. are vitally con-
/ cerned IN some OF the schedules. All that
] maintain is that when after a tariff
law has been IN force ten years, and a
representative body Of protectionists ir
! principle and In interest, whose business
makes them familiar with the facts. and
who have 10 motive for misrepresenta-
| ton. adopt such a report as the one ]
have quoted from, it makes a case fol
! investigation into the existing tariff by
Congress for the purpose Of determining
! how much revision is needed,
/ The investigation In the end will be
conducted by the Committee of Ways
and Means Of the House CT Representa-
/ tives and by the Finance Committee OF
the Senate. The schedules are for then
70 recommend. and for Congress to fix
after they hear evidence OF the cost OF
! production In this country and the cost OF
/ production abroad. and the conditions ex-
isting in each trade, and II 1t shall turn
out that popular opinion founded on such
substantial evidence as that which / have
cited here should prove to be unfounded
! then the revision Of the tariff viii be con-