The Washington herald., 1908-02-06

ate and the country. according 10 the
newspapers of yesterday and to-day, have
been advised by another authority on the
other side Of the Chamber that even an
inquiry into the tariff system shall not
be made now by a commission or other
wise The rules of the Senate forbid any
more specific reference to the veto upon
this proposed legislation, which has been
announced
81 do not agree with the Senator rs to
the necessity for "a commission Ia make
this inquiry, and 7 do not agree with
several suggestions he has made. L want
To advise him that there are fOCr great
facts already established with reference
90 the tariff needing no further inquiry
and upon which the members of the Sen
ate and of the House of Representatives
are now competent To legislatc-
The first is that the average ad va
lorem tariff tax is - per cent, as l under
stand it.
"The second fact is that the average
tariff which We have now is far greater
than the difference between the cost OF
labor I'm foreign countries and in this
country. So whatever a man may he,
whether he be "a protectiouist. cor "a reye-
nue. reformcr. like myself the fact stares
him I'm the face that We have schedules
now which 90 far beyond the difference
between the cost Of labor In foreisn couu-
tries and i'm the United States
Lower Prices Abroad.
'The third fact which is indispu,able is
that manufactured articles I'm rHC United
States u number Of instances are sold
in foreign countries under the present
tariff at lower rate than i'm America.
"The fourth fact which is already es-
tablished, and in the minds Of the Amer
lean people. is that "a protective tariff
fosters and encourages the creation OF
trusts.
Now. I want % have printed I'm the
Record, following what 7 have said an
article on the tariff. largely written bv
member of the Industrial Commission,
the creation Of which has been extoIlgd
by the Senator from Indiana"
Senator Beverage asked from what
book the Senator intended to take his
facts. and when Mr. Culberson replied
that it was from q book which hc felt
( sure would commend itself 10 the Senator
/ from Indiana. and announced that il Was
/ from tile Democratic campaign' book OF
/ 1892. there was an outburst of laughter
( from Senators and spectators. IT thought
/ So" retorted Mr. Beveridge
For N0n-partIsan View.
/ Replying to Mr.. CuIberson's remarks
/ Mr. BeyeTidEe said:
/ Mr. President. I have no objection TO
I The Senator from Texas printing n por-
/ ton Of the Democratic campaign book
+ in the Congressional Record, nor 20 print
3 ing the entire Democratic campaign book
/ In the Congressional Record, nor have I
any objection, because I suppose that
that is considered good partisan tactics,
/ TO the Senator raising a question about
tariff theories, although it is at a time
when We are trying to consider this
most difficult question. not as politicians
/ who want our respective parties-tO win
I but as Senator's who want, above the
prosperity Of any party. the prosperity
/ Of the country.
- will say To the Senator from Texas
/ that 30 man in this country admires him
more than I do. and he knows ] say
I that sincerely: but the effort 10 inter
[ iect i'm a grave, serious, n0npartisau set
/ clement Of this question nothing but par
/ tis8n tactics. while worthy Of him as
/ political leader Of his party, is not worthy
/ OF any man as statesman OF his cOuu-
/ Try.
I The Senator from Texas complimentad
me bv saving he was glad to see that
{ had Joined the great army of tariff re-
/ formers No I will say 10 the Senator
/ I have not Joined such an army because
/ I have always belonged to such an army
/ But I have not Joined. and I never viii
/ join, any organization which makes Of
/ the American tariff the football Of Ameri-
/ can politics. and that is precisely the diff
! frulty over which We must get i'm this
/ Congress. We have got 10 get away from
! the time that every great question which
/ comes mp I'm this body is considered by
/ the leaders of either side with reference
/ to what advantage there may be in it
/ for their party in the coming campaign.
NeyyIands Suggests Changes.
] Senator NewIands. stating that he ac-
cepted Mr.. Beveridgc's suggestion that
/ the subject he discussed IN nonpartisan
spirit suggested that the objection raised
! by Mr.. Beverage TO the classification
Of dutiable articles by appraisers could
be met by Congress giving to such Of
fcials power to perform such classical
tion under rules TO be laid down by
! cesses Of the existing tariff. He said re
realized, although he was in favor of
tariff revision, that no radical action
could be taken, but that revision must
| be done In a gradual and safe man
ner The people Of the country and prices
of all necessaries of life, he, said. had
| been on stills for many years, and TO
/ quickly knock these stills from under
/ them would cause confusion and do harm
! Revision should be progressive and
scientific, and should represent the judg-
ment Of men expert in such matters The
difficulty with Senator BeVeridge's plan.
! he said, was that it was likely To result
/ in a great delay in the process Of re-
vision
! The people. he said. desired that process
10 begin at once and progress evenly until
| the desired limit of reduction was reached
/ He would amend the bill by giving the
| proposed commission power TO reduce the
! tariff so much every year upon every
! commodity upon which the rate exceeded
a certain figure.
Higher Rates Always.
The advance in this question. he said
! had been simply in the line of higher
duties. and he outlined the tarlI history
/ of the country for the past forty years in
! support of his assertion. He would select
such a commission az the Senator sug-
| gested, and make It nonpartisan by pro-
viding that not more than four members
should belong 10 one political party. and
4 then give IT the powers which he had sug-
| gested 10 revise the schedules progressive
| ly until such figures had been reached
that the country could decide whether
I further revision should continue.
! The debate in the Senate continued for
/ three hours Senator GsllingeT supported
/ Mr Beveridgs in replying 10 Democratic
/ Senators, and Senator Scott In a brief
/ speech, was outspoken against revision,
declaring that the present system was