The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-23
MIR. CARNEGIE ON THE TARIFF.

One of the most important practical
articles on the tariff question ever print"
ed is that by Andrew Carnegie in the
Century Magazine for December. He
gives inside history on the establish
ment OF the steel producing industry IN
this country aud the effective influence
of the tariff in building it up. He IS
not free-trader as has been claimed,
out he believes in protecting infant ln-
dustries TO the extent Of sscertaining
whether their permanent upbulding, so
that they can stand alone, is practica-
BILE. If it is. protection should be extend
ed to the point of successful operation,
then the industry should be required to
stand slone. But he does not think
that projection should be suddenly or
altogether withdrawn, favoring the
gradual Withdrawal of protection. .soshs
70 make no radical changes. For IN
sta nee, he thinks that we did well 10
levy protective duties on steel until
that industry was well started in the
United States; but that protection IS
no longer needed: the steel industry OF
the United States is fully able to stand
alone. .'Not u ton of steel is produced
in the world at as small an outlay for
labor as IN our own country says Mr..
Carnegie. and further, 'the United
States mado last year more steel Cover
23 ,000O tons) than Germany, Britain,
France. and Belgium combined New
steel works are under construction
which will produce enough TO enable her
ia make more than the whole world be-
sides. This she will do within five years,
probably within three, The day has
passed when any foreign country can
seriously affect our steel manufactures,
tariff or no tariff"
Here is a characteristic and llustra-
tive anecdoto showing tho trend OF
manufacture and of prices. in Mr.. Car
negie's article:
When Mr.. Blaine was with US in Lon
don I'm 1855. he attended g dinner, at
which Mr., Chamberlain was present, ana
tie tariff question naturally came ny. Nh
/ CbaInb nberlatn remarked that Carnegie
was a good fellow. and we all liked him;
bur sun he didn't see why the United
States should present nun WITH S1o P9r
ton protection upon his steel rails This
! brought laughter and applause. When
guiet was restored. Mir. Blaine replied:
! I'VE don't look at II In quite that way,
/ anl Interested In railroads and before
we put on that tariff we had to pay you
| SlG0 per ton for steel rails. Just before
we sailed our board bought u large
amount from Carnegie. ana he charged
; ,ls only $50. ! guess II VIC had not put on
$50 si66.@ '1F'''. you "'''' SUN - 'A''AS Us
After the laughter subsided. Sir Charles
Teunant, president OF The SCOTLAND steel
we all held 10 that price. and could have
got it today If Carnegie and others hadn't
| interfered'
don't think YOU have msce much by this
| frank confession,
NO" replied MI Chamberlain: chow
could I, with STR Charles sitting there
/ giving me away?
Mr.. Carnegie thinks that revision
| of the present tariff schedules is due
| that "much water has run under the
bridges' since it was enacted, and that
conditions have changed so greatly
that the tariff should now be revised
! from a new standpoint, He assume:
that decided majority of the voters In
the country are agreed on these propo
sitiops:
First-That it is advisable for new
countries TO encourage capital by protect.
/ i've duties. when seen to be necessary
TO develop new industries
Second-That after full and exhaustive
trials II success he not finally attained
such protection should cease, except as
| noted hereunder.
| Third-ThaI should the experiment sue
ceed. protection becomes unnecessary, and
should steadily but gradually he abolished
provided that the home supply Of any
| article ahsol' tely necessary for the ma
tional safety shall not thereby be en-
dangered.
He therefore urges that the new tariff
law should be framed more upon the
lines of producing revenue t@n 70,
protection; that such manufactures Ga:
steel) that need no further protection
should not be protected; that articles
used principally by the rich should bc
heavily, perhaps increasingly, rated il
customs duties. He argues that "Th'
American tariff, in happy contrast tc
others, almost cxempts tho poor an(