Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-08-16
TARIFF REVISION IN 1909
An Intelligent and FarMlnded Summary
and Discussion Of the Tariff sltua-
ton.
New York Tribune ]

Senator Hopkins OF Illinois. after visit
ing the resident at oyster Bay. announ-
ces ms belief that revision OF the tariff
Will be undertaken i'm 1909 but not be-
fore. The same Senator declared last
May that Speaker Cannon. II nominated
anu elected President would favor tariff
revision and would call the Glst Congress
together in extra session to alter the
schedules. Secretary Taft has frequently
said on the stump. that he considers the
Dingley tarif obsolete in many respects
II Is apparent, therefore. that Republican
sentiment In favor OF amendatory tariT
legislation is spreading and solidifving.
and that the next administration. II Re
publican. will pretty certainly attempt to
renovate the Dugley schedules and bring
them up TO date
The Tribune has for some time past
advocated au ovcrhauling Of the present
tArin law. Tariffs are necessarily short
lived. for they are based on cundi, ions
which are always more or less in fux
The biugley law was passed ten years
ago iiN June, 1909. it will have been I'm
operation twelve years. and that is the
full average life Of an American torif
Yet IN the last ten years industrial and
commercial conditions have changed more
rapidly and more radically than I'm any
two decades in our earlier history our
imports and exports have both doubled
since 1897. and the United States Is now
pushing TO the front as the greatest dea-
Ter in the worlds markets From the
point Of view Of the most obdurate stand
patter a protective tarir under which
Imports have doubled ought to be nearly
ripe for revision. while from the point OF
View Of the enlightened protectionist, in
terested as much in profitably extending
foreign trade as In maintaining a just
deferental in favor OF domestic labor. in
dustrial conditions under which exports
have doubled and an increasing surplus
OF domestic manufactures has to be cared
for. clearly demonstrate the need of strik-
Ing a new balance In our interna tlonal
trade relations. Some OF the Dinglev
rates are too high because they afford
protection which Is now excessive
Some have been soetaionshrducts. yi-pro
Some have no economical justification at
all, because they affect products whose
price Is determined here without any ref
erence TO foreign production. Possibly
some are too low, owing to unforeseen
changes in our own or the foreign mar
ket Thus they are TO a large extent
/ necessarily out Of touch with the indus
| trial ana commercial activities OF today
ana could be- readjusted with benefit both
To the American producer and the Amer.
/ lean consumer
Practically it would be uuwise to at
! tempt revision either at the next
session OF Congress or at the short
/ 0'AS'u loloWlnS IarlU making should
be ASSOCIATED as completely as possible
/ from partisanship and partisan strategy
| To undertake TO frame a new law on the
! eve of a Presidential election would TO
ment political intrigue, misrepresenta
/ ton and chickering's. 1t would force a
/ drawing Of lines which should not he
! drawn and eXalt party interest above
! national welfare. \ tariff law. too. ought
/ to have a fair trial before the country
/ passes judgment on its efficacy. The fate
! which overlook the Mckinley law and
/ the wilson German law is a sufficient
| warning against entanging economic
! legislation with sectional and fractional
| passions. The Dingley law lived and has
/ been accepted by the country as the most
! satisfactory tariff OF our time. not only
/ because II had a fair chance to take hold
and show its worth, but because It was
! passed at a time when old political alli-
| ances were weakened and political inter
! est centred not so much in the tariff as
| In the coinage question. An adminstra-
| Ton ana Congress coming into Office In
| the spring Of 1909 could readily cooperate
! In rearranging the tariff schedules with
! ont any serious awakening of political
| passions or any material disturbance OF
! business or industry. The next Repub-
| lican national platform ought to contain
an assurance that the work OF revision
! VIII he eNpeditiously and prudently done