The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-31
THE MEASURE OF DOWN
WARD REVISION.

Some interesting computations have
been made from a table recently pre-
pared by the Treasury customs ex-
perts, comparing the Dingley, Payne,
and Aldrich duties on a list of over
forty articles in common use. 1t is
shown by these tables that as the legis-
lation now stands, man who bought
SO worth of such articles as mems and
women's clothing, Undertaking, hos
iery, cotton goods, sheetings, feather
pillows, watches, etc, would be backing
up against a tariff wall S32.l2 high I'M
der the Dmgley act; 1924 high under
the Payne schedules, and S3l.9s high
under the Aldrich schedules
There is thus tariff saving of "A
cents, which is just represented by the
reduction on pair of shoes included in
the list Now, there are no importa-
lions of shoes, and on the other hand
there are big exports Of them. The
American shoe stores in Berlin suggest
an American invasion far more menae-
ing to German industry than any evi-
dence of German invasion which can be
seen in London. As we don't ship in
any shoes at all, and viii not even with
the tariff reduced a trife, this Il cents
is hardly to be accounted an important
saving. Leaving it out of eonsidera-
ton, the thing seems to be stand-off !;
the old and new duties come out at the
same place.
It appears that on a cotton bed-sheet
there IS a saving of IL cents, which Is
encouragement 10 go to sleep and wait
till it is all over; but looking farther,
st appears that this is several times
wiped out by Z cent increase on a
feather pillow, and the consumer is
moved to wake up again.
Now. the point about any such speci-
men list as this is simply that it illus
trates graphically what Is really hap
Dening in this revision. The mass OF
plain people-the consumers, if they
may be permitted to regard themselves
IS such, despite Senator Lodges assur-
ancs that they don't exist-use Just
such things as are in this list. There
are Sl5 mems suits, SIS overcoats, SIC
cotton dresses for women, Sl5 cloaks
for women, straw hats, underwear, and
the like; likewise number of articles
of foodstuffs. II is good, fair. honest
average list; and it makes a showing
which is simply ridiculous. To call
Congress together for the turmoil and
the expense Of a revision session, and
10 have it labor four months in the
heat TO bring forth so Insignificant a
reduction mouse as this, is a grim
joke. It is a Reputation of solemn
party pledges such as the country viii
not permit without effective protest.
If this measure passes IN substan-
TALLY its present form, there Will be
tast one safe and proper course for
President Taft. He should veto it. and
then make ringing appeal to the
country TO send him up a Congress.
which viii carry out the pledges on
which he was elected. There is no Us,
being mealy- mouthed about it. Tn,
country looks to the President to finC
means TO compel Congressional eompli
ance with the Republican platform
Congressional leadership is determined
on reputation. The Constitution vest.
the President with the veto power. II
does so because it expects that power
10 be used in just such cases as the
present.
There never was a more proper cas-,
for the veto than is presented by thi,
legislation as it stands today. and as d
al probability it viii stand when il
goes down the Avenue to the Whit,
house for the Executive approval o
disapproval It is good politics, COCO
business, honest performance of
pledge TO the nation, to veto it, An,
hat is what the President ought t,
do
Evidence enough has been set fortl
already to make it perfectly plain tina
this revision IS being conducted sys
tematically IN the behalf OF a fev
monopolistic interests. with the view
TO protecting or increasing their al
ready immense profits 1t will not z,
with the people