The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-09-20
TAFT'S TARIFF TALK
KEEPS TOPIC ALIVE
Presidential Utterances Will
Encourage More Discus
sion This Fall.
By John SNURE.

By JOHN SNURE.
The tariff will be much in evidence
about the Capitol this winter. II will
be much discussed. It is not 10
be expected that anything will be
done about IL. At least, nothing
will be done that viii be worth while.
But it will be very much in the air, and.
though new tariff bill has just been
passed. there will be enough Of an after
math TO keep many a member Of the
House and Senate who is seeking re-
election wrought up and nervous.
A good many statesmen and near
statesmen had the idea when the taris-
measure was put through. August 6.
that that would De about the last heard
OF tariff in Congress for a good many
years, possibly for a decade But vari-
Gus causes will contribute to keep It
more or less alive.
Democrats Will Talk.
In the first place. with the Congress
sional elections approaching. the Demo
Gratis will do a good deal Of talking next
winter on tariff topics. This will be
done for political effect. and quite re-
CARELESS Of the fact that some of the
strongest opponents Of genuine down.
ward revision in the special session
were Democrats. It is clear. however.
that the Democratic leaders are going
70 make the utmost OF tariff revision as
an issue in the next Congressional
campaign. They hope, also. TO use
it in the Presidential campaign
Of 1912. william Jennings Bryan
has lately been urging that the party
take up revision as an issue. So the
Democratic statesmen may be expected
to fill long pages Of the Record with
speeches on the tariff.
President Taft's utterances on the
tariff will also encourage discussion Of
the tariff in Congress. Especially will
this be the case with respect 20 what
he has said on the wooden schedule. He
has made Il clear that he believes the
wooden duties ought 10 be overhauIed
II is true he does not speak OUT IN
favor OF having Congress take this mat
ter up next winter. But II may
5e taken for granted that what he
has said will encourage some or the
Democrats and insurgents to attempt TO
stir up trouble for the schedule in
question.
Attacks Will Be Made.
Attacks viii doubtless be made on il
and bills introduced for reduced duties
on wooden manufactures II will not be
possible To get any such bills. or any
others for changes in rates. out Cf the
Ways and Means Committee and hence
nothing will be done. but this will not
prevent the matter from being agitated.
II is possible some corrective Iegisla-
zion may be wanted and in that case II
might be alloYed TO get out Of commit
tee, but as a rule the Republican lead
ers are extremely chary of permitting
any bill 10 get out Of Ways and Means
which might be used for the purpose
Of prying the id off the whole tariff
question.
II IS expected the opponents OF free
hides will have a good deal % say.
This is the more likely 10 be the case
because II appears that free hides has
not and is not going TO benefit the con
sumner OF shoes. The explanation given
FOR this is that the demand for shoes
increases more rapidly than the supplv
OF leather II appears that the prices Of
some kinds of shoes are actually going
up. The price OF hides has advanced
abroad, and, TO a degree, the seller of
foreign hides is getting the benefit of
the wiping out Of the duty.
end much 10 complain about so far as
prices for hides are concerned just now.
but there will be complaint on the
ground that shoes are getting no
cheaper
Board Has Hard Job.
The new tariff board and its work
ings. Of course, will occupy good deal
OF the attention Of Congress. This
board has a hard job on it's hands. II
IL does not investigate the cost Of pro-
duction it will give offense to insur-
gents and Democrats and II it does in
vestigate the cost Of production Il will
give offense 10 the high tariff men. II
may easily get Itself soundly lambasted
from both directions by trying to pursue
careful middle ground.
President Taft has indicated that he
is not seeking any revision of the tar
III In the remainder Of this AdmtRistra-
ton. This viii not give satisfaction TO
many OF the radical tariff reViSiOnists
on the Republican side. They will pro-
test In the House and Senate, on the
stump and on the platform. But such
protests Will not avail with the Ways
and Means and Finance Committees
made up as they are.
Another phase OF the tariff question
that will keep up agitation In Congress
is the maximum and minimum. II will
be March 81 before the maximum rates
are 10 apply against any country which
unduly discrimlnates against the United
States Already there is much talk as
TO what the effect Of the application of
tie maximum or its prospective applica-
ton is going to be, whether there will
be tariff WAT with this country or with
that
such discussion will be heard I'm in
creasing intensity as the time approach
Is Tor the maximum rates 70 apply un-
less suspended by order Of the Presi-
dent While a good many manufactur-
ers awe been clamOring for maximum
tarih 70 be used to compel other Coun-
tries 10 make concessions II IS needless
70 say mat II an actual tariff wa- we're
70 lmpend With any Of the leading coun-
tries or the world. there would be "A lot
OF kicking and q strong cutlery from va
rious manufacturing anG other interests
whose fingers would get squeezed,