The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-11-27
6lnrnepie 40 &c Tariff.

Carnegie and the Tariff.
A number OF Democratic newspa-
pers are endeayortng to sound, the
death knelI OF the protective tariff
with the notable article upon that
subject by Andrew Carnegie publish
ed in the Century Magazine. In
chat article Mr.. Carnegie states that
he believes the steel industry needs
no further tariff protection, that steel
tSis now produced cheaper in this
country than anywhere else notwith-
57standtng the nigh wages paid to
aworkingman and that the day is past
when any foreign country can SER
iously affect our steel manufacturers.
tarif or no tariff. This, some Demo
cratic newspapers take occasion to
theory is correct and the protective
theory all wrong. Nevertheless it
proves nothing OF the kind.
Taking it for granted that the
steel industry in this country has
been developed to the stage where 1t
can without the aid of the tariff sue
eessfully compte with the steel manu-
facturers of the world, as Mr.. Car
negde says, although other experts
testifyIng before the Ways and Means
Committee of the House of Repre-
senta tives, declare that Mr.: Carnegie
has been out of the business for
eight or nine years and is not fully
acquainted with present conditions OF
the industry, the very fact that the
industry has attained it's important
position in the steel trade of the
world is proof that the protective
theory does all that many of its ar
dent supporters. claim for it. Had
It not been for a protective tariff,
there would be no hourishing steel
Industry in, this country today, Civ
ing employment to thousands and
thousands of American workingmen,
and this country would have to be
dependent upon foreign countries for
this most important and necessary
manufactured product. Mr.. Car
negfe's article Is also a slap at the
argument so often put forth by free
traders that in no case has 1t ever
been known that the. owners of dn-
dustries whose products are protect
ed by the tariff have been willing to
have the tarif reduced.
But, Mr.. Carnegie does not tell us
to resort to the free trade theory.
He merely states that there should
be a reduction OF tariff on steel. Nor
does he believe that the tariff on all
steel and iron products should be re-
duced, for, there are several steel
products that yet need protection
1t is often stated by Democratic
free traders that protective tariR
generally permits the protected man
,ufacturers to sell their products
fabroad at less than they are sold at
home. Yet, not a large per cent of
american manufactures are thus sold
IN f.fa1fsa Nlra
authority. and even in such event,
protectionists say it is done when
home markets are fun and the manu-
facturers work of surplus OF their
products in this manner in order to
keep their mills running and the en-
ployes thereof at work.
Some free traders have taken the
notion that all protectionists have de-
cided to stand pat'' upon a certain
schedule of tariff rates now and for
ever, world without end. That is
mistaken idea. The tariff requires
revision from time to time tn order
to meet new and changed conditions.
Protectionists have noted the need
for a revision, they have asked for 1t
and they are going to get 1t. The
fact that the present tariff schedule
has remained tn effect for longer
period or years imam any other laEIl
schedule of the United States and
with such beneficial results, surely
dem onstrates that it has been asGood
one.
There is one important matter
that must be taken into consideration
In the ,tari1 revision, after the chief
consideration OF the higher cost of
labor here ha nabroad, in some in
stances higher by 220 per cent. That
is the regard that must be paid to.