Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-23

nandad mne5e no ioiisei Andrew carneuie
Mr.. Carnegie's article is entitled my
Experience With and Views on the
Tariff"
He first reviews the tariff movements
down to the present Dingley law, Civ
ing number of anecdotes in which
he figured with the leaders of the vari-
Gus periods. He adds:
Since DinsIey Bill Passed
Much water has ran under the
bridge since then. Many changes
have occurred, and hence many
changes can be tudiciously made in the
tariff.
There is no doubt about this; but.
on the other hand, | have been led
to the conclusion that conditions have
changed so greatly in the interval that
the tariff should now be viewed from
new standpoint"
The iron king assumes that a de-
cided majority of voters are agreed:
F'irst-That it is advisable for new
countries. to encourage capital by pro-
tective duties, when seen to be neces-
sary to develop new industries.
Second-That after full and exhaus-
tive trials if success be not finally at
tanned such protection should cease,
except as noted hereunder.
Becomes Unnecessary
Third-That should the experiment
succeed protection becomes unneces-
sary and should steadily but gradually
be abolished, provided that the home
supply of any article absolutely neces-
sary for the national safety shall not
thereby be endangered.
Further, Mr.. Carnegie says:
I'VE have already become by far the
greatest of all manufacturing nations.
Our infant industries of the past have
reached maturity, and, speaking gem
orally, are now quite able to protect
themselves.
THE pulling infant in the nurses
arms that the congress of 1871 nursed
so tenderly will appear next year be-
fore it's guardian as the stalwart cham
pion who has conquered in many fields.
thus proving himself worthy of the
protection bestowed upon him in his
youth and fully vindicating the pro-
tective policy pursued.
Benefit Has Ceased
while the tariff as whole even
today, has ceased to be primarily bene-
fetal as a measure of protection, it has
become of vast Importance from the
standpoint of revenue, and it is to this
feature l bespeak the special attention
of readers of all parties, for duties upon
import not for protection, but for
needed revenue, should not become a
party question. Reasonable men of all
this plan of obtaining revenues"
After giving tables showing that the
bulk of tariff duties are collected on
luXuries used by the rich, Mr.. Carnegie
says:
THUS does the American tariff, in
happy contrast to others, also exempt
the poor and heavily tax the rich, just
as it should, for it is they who have
the ability to pay as required by the
highest economic authority"
Future Legislation
Mr.. Carnegie says of future tariff
legislation;
THE net congress dealing with the
tariff will probably be inclined at first
to reduce duties all around and per-
haps to abolish some, but it's first care
should be to maintain present duties
and even in some cases increase them
upon all articles as used exclusively
by the rich and this, not for protec-
ton but for revenue not drawn from
the workers, but from the rich.
THAT is the first and prime duty of
congress. We should not forget that
government expenditures have in
creased enormously in recent years and
that additional revenue is required. Its
second duty is to reduce duties princi-
pally on manufactured articles and to
abolish entirely those no longer needed.
THE writer has co-operated in maxi
ing several reQuCIlOnS as steel manu-
facturers became able to bear reduce
tions.
Need No Protection
"Today they need no protection un-
less perhaps in some new specialties
unknown to the writer, because steel
is now produced cheaper here than
anywhere else, Notwithstanding these
higher wages paid per man. Not a
ton of steel is produced in the world
at as small an outlay for labor as in
our country.
"Our coke, coal and iron ores are
much cheaper because more easily OBJ
tained and transported, and our output
per man is much greater owing chiefly
TO the large standardized orders OBJ
tainable only upon our continent, the
specialized rolling mills, machinery
kept weeks upon uniform shapes with
out change of rolls, and several other
advantages.
"The day has passed when any for
eien country can seriously affect our
steel manufactures. tariff or no tariff.
The republic has become the home Of
steel. and this is the age of steel.
"It may probably be found that there