The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-19
Tariff Revision Difficulties.

Whether the House Ways and Means
Committee has gained much light on
the way to revise the DIngley schedules
from the hearings thus far held may be
a matter of dispute, but it has at least
become plain by this time that world
of trouble lies ahead of Congress before
il gets through with tariff overhauling.
1t is not to be wondered at that the
average politician shrinks from Crap
pling with the tariff question, and that
the tendency of the Republican leaders
has been to defer revision as long as the
public temper would allow it.
If anything could convince Congress
that the tariff question is a non-parti-
san one, to be disposed of on scientific
lines and not on political lines, the hear
ings thus far, coupled with the EXPIRES
sions of sentiment about the tariff
from various Senators and Representa-
tives ought to carry that conviction. 1t
cannot be seriously doubted that there
was much sound sense in the proposal
made by Senator Beverage OF Indiana
last winter for the appointment Of a
tariff commission, TO make a careful,
non-partisan, and scientific inquiry into
tariff facts. This was the policy pur-
sued by Germany, as is well known,
and in the light of the strides Germany
is taking in a trade way it is hardly
disputable that the commission there
did its work efficiently. What viii be
the course of revision here is already
patent. With one locality insisting on
the maintenance of the schedules that
affect it and clamoring for reduction
OF the dutjs that affect some other
locality, there viii be such pulling and
hauling in House and Senate, with re-
sultant log-rolling, that in the end a
haphazard measure will be the out
come, and the tariff question, instead
Of being removed from politics, will
still be looming up as troublesome as
ever.
I'VE are all anxious to revise the
other fellows tariff" said Senator FL
kns the other day at the White House.
This tells the story in a nutshell Beet
sugar men in this country want the
tarlf on sugar kent up. American cap
italists with interests in Cuban sugar
plantations are insisting on reduction
in the sugar schedules. Massachusetts
wants the tariff taken from hides, and
the Western farmer, goaded on by the
Western politician, says no; what he
wants is the tariff removed from boots
and shoes. The rest of the country
wants the iron and steel schedules low
cred. West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
ard States with like interests are pre-
pared to fight at the very mention Of
such a thing. The difficulties of a prop
er adjustment are enormous, and how
they are to be properly solved so long
as partisanship enters in is something
none can tell. Already the cry is going
up from high tariff quarters that the
hearings given by the Ways and Means
Committee on the various classes of
schedules are too brief, and that more
prolonged consideration is imperative.
Unless all signs fail, by the time
Congress gets through with its forth !
coming experimentation with the tariff
the sentiment for scientific and non-po- !
litical consideration of the problems in /
volved, problems Of the deepest mo
ment to the trade welfare and mate ]
rial advancement Of the country, viii |.
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