The Washington times., 1908-11-24

genius made it great declares that it
no longer needs the protection.
Wool hasn't Paid.
But wool has not done so well. II Is
difficult 10 tell why, save that the
American farmer never found Il neces-
sary TO go into sheep to such an extent
as Australians have done. Australia
raised sheep because they were the most
profitable thing TO be raised there.
American farmers have raised steers
ana hogs and corn because on the whole
they paid better. Tie tariff couldn't
make the sheep business grow a. the
iron business grew. Now there Is de
mand for removal Of the iron tariff be
cause it isn't needed any longer. and
of the wool schedules because they are
alleged TO have failed in their purpose
The sheep men say that American
fiOcks would have been pretty nea- ~
out of business in the last decade but
for the remarkable series OF drought
years which afflicted Australia They
say IL is impossible TO count on such
conditions lasting always; therefore II
Is desirable TO raise the wool taflu be
fore the Australian revival sets IN and
drives the American sheep c"c. the
precipice
To all this the manufacturers, deal
ers, and consumers reply with the In
curry is IL worth While2 They say the
wool tariff should he looked upon as
rather a revenue than protective one
and they insist that, looked upon In this
light, it is wrongly adjusted; II forces
wool TO pay an unfairly large share
OF the customs reN enueS.
This is where the notion OF scientific
adjustment comes In. Does II pay TO
maintain a sheep industry. II maintain
ing that industry really adds an average
OF S. 70 every mans suit Of clothes
The man buying the clothes is apt to
In NOT FrHT Eh Mi "
that there is no more equitable way
OF distributing the incidence Of a TeVe-
nue. tariff, than by placing it on wool,
because everybody wears clothes!
Causes a Flutter.
Mr.. Canegie's magazine article de-
cIaring that the steel schedules are no
longer needed. has caused a fearful
fiutterinE among the high-tarifhtes.
They didn't expect it just at this time.
Their reply IS that MI Carnegie, from
the day he came to be easily the mas
ter OF iron in America. Was a tariff
for-revnue man. and that his reason fOI
taking this position was that he knew
he could maintain himself against any
outside competition, but didn't thinl
his smaller competitors could do so
Therefore s. he could get the tarih re-
! duCed he would presently nave TIT
American field entirely 10 himself anl
would establish a fine monopoly.
If that argument was good a deCaCt
ago, It Is apparently better now. say
the high-tarif people; for. now We SEE
the Steel trust peTfected-the very Trims
| Mr.. Carnegie had In mind when ht
wanted protection taken away from hjl
/ competitors. It would put an end ID
/ all possibility OF competition, II The
protection were now 10 be removed aHJ
l the trust left alone.
All the same. while the argument {.
nut forth with mu.h eameEtnesl
| that Mr.. Carnegie Is playing the trust
game. his declaration mas heeu Verl
/ eTr uarrassing TO the Chinese-Wau schOo
! Of prOtectionists. They remember ina
Tom 7. Johnson used 20 say the same
things when ne was n the iron bust
/ ness: and they know that about hal
/ the iron and steel OF the world are nov
| being made IN the United States. Thel
/ md manufacturers demanding lowe
| tariff in order to get CT eIper raw ma
/ taFial for iron and steel goods, and al
| together they are emba rrussed 10 know
| how TO dodge the point Mr.. Carnegi'
] has raised