The Washington herald., 1909-05-03
Maximum and Minimum.


Of the Aldrich tariff bill are an impene-
trable jungle TO the average citizen. What
they really mean or what effect they
viii have upon the course Of trade or
the volume Of imports. nobody can guess.
- appears 10 be the assumption in Con
gress that they will remain imperative,
simply because foreign nations viii at
once accept the conditions upon which
our minimum tariff may be granted. and
so there viii be no occasion for the heavy
retaliation provided for refusal 10 accept
the Concessions Iheaven save the
msrk9 Of cur general tariff II this as
sumption is true. nobody need worry over
the maximum and minimum scheme, for
It viii be. on that theory. club which
knocks the enemy down before it is lift
ed for q blow. But If a niscalculation
shoald prove TO have been made. only
the utmost skill and tact on the part Of
the Executive would avail to prevent a
disastrous disruption Of foreign trade and
e serious slump in our customs revenues.
It is asserted that President Taft has
approved Of the maximum and minimum
provision just introduced in the Senate.
II 50. ne has Indorsed a scheme con
ferring extraordinary power upon the
Executive Within certain fixed limits.
he viii control completely the rates OF
duty on imports from foreign countries.
To him is committed authority TO decide
whether coffee and tea shall be taxed.
or whether We shall buy our stockings
in Germany or IN Philadelphia On his
sole judgment, TO the already excessive
duties Of our minimum tariff may be
added = per cent ad vaIorem on the i'm
portati0ns from any country which. again
IN his sole judgment. is not treating Us
right in the making Of its own tariffs.
But he cannot diminish by a single frac-
ton Of cent the minimum duty imposed
on any import: on the other hand he
can, by inaction. allow . per cent 10 be
added 70 the minimum. He can permit
the American people 10 be taxed more.
not less he can destroy American trade.
or permit It 10 be destroyed. but cannot
take 4 single reasonable step to Increase
81 For no concession can be made from
the excessive imposts Of the minimum
tariff; the President can only grant re-
lief from the monstrous . per cent sd
valorem Of the maximum.
To such state has the madness Of
protectionism driven a President who is
committed 10 a downward revision Of the
tariff. and who was originally led to ad-
vocate such a revision By the agitation
Of a group OF American manufacturers
who demanded that the tariff bars be
let down 50 as 10 give them a chance in
foreign markets. The AIdrich maximum
and minimum provision Is a complete de-
NAL OF this demand It serves notice on
AL foreign countries having business with
Us that We VIII put up our tariff bar
riers as high as We please. even 10 the
prohibitory point, but that unless our own
products are admitted to foreign ports
At favorable rates, or at rates as favor
able as those granted other nations. We
viii clap on an additional . per cent
duty The clamor OF our manufacturing
exporters for freer trade IS answered BY
q proposal Of retaliation, and higher
duties; the demand Of the consumer for
less restricted importations and lower
prices is met by raising duties and sul
further restricting importations.
It may be hoped that the maximum
and minimum provisions will not work
out that way. as their advocates main
tain and that the net result viii be the
application 10 all nations Of what are
euphemisticaIy termed the concessions
OF our minimum tsrih-a tariff that is
gong TO be as high as Senator AIdrich
and his friends dare to make Il, 10 begin
with Any other consequence, say the
application Of the maximum additional
duties OF . per cent ad valorem To the
imports from any country, would be so
extreme and unjustihable an extension
Of the protective policy that il should be
promptly repudiated by the country. We
should think President Taft would hesi-
tate 70 have placed in his hands power
either to pile upon the mountainous
heights Of the Aldrich duties another .
Per cent ad valorem, Or 10 remove the
maximum that must be removed by proc
lamation in order 10 reach the noun
famous Aldrieh minimum. That would be
revision downward with vengeance,
Likely IS not the queen Of the Nay