Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-26
STEEL SCHEDULE PROBLEM
Pretty Hard to Decide Between Testi-
mony of Experts.
CASE OF DOCTORS DISAGREE
Ways and Means Committee Con-
fronted With a Number of Hard
Nuts to Crack.

| members or the ways ana means COM
mittee and have to tackle the proposition
| which they are confronting now with
reference, say, to the steel schedule? You
see, it's just like this:
| Here comes Andrew Carnegie, who in
| the popular mind is the great authority
| on steel manufacturing in this country
and who says that in his opnion-his
opinion. mind you-the tariff on steel
might advantageously be reduced. Asked
| to give figures of cost of production, he
says he has not been in touch with the
| industry for ten years. and really he
| cannot produce any figures. But, never
theless and Notwithstanding. the duty can
| be reduced.
After him comes Charles M. Schwab,
active head of the steel industry, with
figures galore at his fingers tips, and
which he produces, endeavoring to show
| that if the tariff is reduced American
! labor, which enters so largely into the
i production of steel, must suffer like re-
duction in wages.
Now. the attention of the public is at
| tracted to this subject through various
| and sundry causes 1t is probably no
| exaggeration to say that the belief Is
widespread among the people at large that
| the steel industry has fattened upon the
tariff and that this source of artificial
nourishment should be cut of. or at least
greatly curtailed. The public has not time
nor inclination to delve into figures and
comparisons. but must leave that task to the
tariff makers in Congress. However, the
public is likely to have very strong i'm
pressions upon the subject and to hold
the tariff makers to account for results.
Whose Word Will Go?
Which of these two steel mems testi-
mony is likely to have more weight with
the public Mr.. Carnegie's Mr..
Schwabs? From which will the public
get perhaps set opinion and belief about
the steel schedule, from the man who
has been the personification of the steel
Industry, and who is credited with the
possession of fabulous wealth obtained
through that industry. or fron---Mr-
Schwab. comparatively unknown?
The plight in which the members of
the ways and means committee find them
selves is this: to choose between yield
ing to popular demand created by popular
impression or to act upon their own judg-
| ment based upon actual testimony, facts
and figures. On the one hand Is a great
American industry in which scores of
thousands of WOrkingmen are engaged
whose interests must be conserved, and
on the other a popular movement directed
| 1t is alleged. against the interests of those
| workingmen.
Right there is the kernel OF the whole
| thing. Are the facts such as to require
1 tue IcuuCtlOn vi WAGES IL TIE uuty Is re-
duced? Could not the margin of differ
ence come off the profits of the steel
| makers rather than the earnings of the
| workngmen, still leaving a reasonable
profit to the manufacturers? That is for
the members of the ways and means COM
mittee to determine, and it is a big under
| taking.
| is a certainty that the country would
| approve pairing the profits of the steel
makers if they're found to be exorbi-
L
will be held responsible if its action re-
| suits in loss of wages to the workingmen.
It is a great responsibility upon the tariff
makers. They surely seem to 'be be-
tween the devil and the deep blue sea-
But they are going at the subject
bravely. The public hearings have ended
and the republican members of the COM
mittee are at work among themselves,
on the schedules, beginning with "Sched-
ule A. Chemicals The recent public
| hearings resulted in the taking of at least
five times as much testimony ever ad-
duced in connection with any previous
| tariff bill.
Conflict Of Vast Interests.
The hearings form a wonderful COM
mentary upon the vastness and variety of
the commercial and industrial interests of
the country. They set forth the conflict of
interests. not alone between industries,
but between sections; between consumers
and producers. There is the shoe maker
who wants cheaper hides. as against the
western cattle raiser who wants to protect
his hides; the clothmaker who wants
Australian and South American wool, as
against the farmer of every state who has
a bunch of sheep. and SO down through
an infinite variety OF subjects, an inter-
minable conflict of interests.
| Pity the sorroWs of d poor tariff maker
| these days, who has to be very Solomon
IN wisdom to decide and give out even
handed justice. not alone to the parties to
the conflict, but to the man in the street
who has to wear the shoes and the
clothes, in the last analysis paying both
the leather man and the cattle man their
dues, vet at the same time enjoying a
1.-THE of the general prosperity dependent
upon the individual prosperity of the cat
tie 'man and the leather man, the wool
grower and the cloth weaver.
To Expedite the Bill.
II leaders in Congress of both political
parties are able to bring sufficient intu-
ence upon Mr.. Taft the special session
to revise the tariff will be called almost
| Immediately after inauguration
The purpose will be to cut the special
session as short as possible and secure an
| adjournment before the extremely hot
| weather sets in. Several members OF
| Congress who have discussed the subject
| with Mr.. Taft believe that his views in
regard to an early and short session coin
eide with the plan suggested.
Ordinarily special session is not called
until after some time has elapsed after
the adjournment of regular session
In inaugural years the Senate is always
in session for ten days or fortnight 10
confirm nominations under the new ad-
miniStraton, and it has been suggested
that the House could be in session also
and utilize the time in considering the
tariff bill, as it will have to be disposed
of there before ii can be taken up by the
Senate.
II is expected that the House ways and
means committee will have "A bill ready
TO report to the special session on the
day it assemblies. and that no time will be
lost by committee hearings. AS soon as
the bill has been drafted il can be taken
up by the Senate committee on finance
and that committee be ready to re-
port If il works assiduouSiy. as soon as
the bill has been passed hv the House
| and mcsSagcd To the Senate. If this
| course is folioWcd-and 1t now seems
probable that II will bet is believed the
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