New-York tribune., 1909-07-31
THE TARIFF SETTLEMENT.


The country. we believe. will agree that PreSl-
dent Taft has secured a tariff bill which makes
substantial reduction Of tariff rates and redeemS
the PROMISES of the last Republican nauopai
platform That platform, as interpreted by the
President and by the great majority OF the he
publican voters. committed the party 10 down.
ward revision Of the tariff within the limitations
Of the protective principle. The tariff conference
report. which conforms IN the main, so far as
the dutiable schedules are concerned, TO the pro
visions Of the bill passed by the House Of Repre-
sentatves must be judged an attempt to mod
crate tariff duties 10 eliminate unnecessary pro-
lection and 10 pave the way for more exact
and rational application of the protective theory
It is wholly misleading TO attempt TO compare IL
with a downward revision like that effected IN
the Wilson German law. for the Nilson-Gorman
law represented an attack on the protective sys-
TEN and sought 10 replace that system with q
hodge-podge Of duties, some for revenue only,
some for revenue with incidental protection
few for protection with incidental revenue and
the great majority for the faciitation of foreign
importations. cheapening prices here temporarily
at the expense of domestic industry and do
nestle labor.
The new tariff measure is corrective in pur-
pose not destructive. 1t represents the desire of
intelligent protectionists to move with the times,
10 adapt tariff duties TO changed conditions IN
trade and industry and to revitalize the protec-
tive system by making it an instrument not Of
private gain, but of national defence and devel-
opment. The new act must be judged. therefore,
not alone by its narrower effects on particular
classes of imports, but also in its larger aspect
as the manifestation of a change in the prOtec-
zionist programme.
That the act in its present shape does assure
a substantial reduction of duties cannot success
fully be disputed. Hides and oil made free.
Decreases of duty are effected on coal, iron ore
lumber and other raw materials. The steel and
iron schedule has been literally cut, and so has
the leather schedule. There have been many re-
ductions in the chemical schedule. Works Of art
more than twenty years old are entitled TO enter
fre-a decided step forward. Duties have been
increased on wines and liquors and on agri-
cultural products. But the higher duties on agri-
cultural products will have only a limited local
effect on domestic prices. and wines and liquors
are taxed as pure luXUries. The only positive
advances in rates on articles of necessity and
common consumption are on certain grades Of
stockings. although changes in classification in
the wool. cotton and silk schedules have been
criticised as increasing duties.
There has been. therefore, large range Of
reductions Moreover the tariff act Of 1909 en-
ables the United States TO defend itself against
trade determinations on the part Of other coun-
tries through the use Of maximum minimum
tariff schedules. II establishes a customs court,
provides greater safeguards against undervalra-
ton. and, most important of all. creates a board
Of tariff experts TO which the President and the
country may turn for the data necessary 70
apply the Republican party's ruling that tariff
duty shall Offset the diferential IN cost Of pro
duction here and abroad and allow the domestic
producer in addition a reasonable margin of
profit. That is the most helpful provision car
ried in any tariff bill in our time 1t far out
weighs in value for the future any other feature
Of the pending revision.
We have said that the real issue in conference
between the Senate on the one hand and the
House. the President and the country the
other was moral rather than material. a con-
test was being fought between the old order and
the new, between progress and reaction. The
Presidents firm and patient leadership has
borne fruit In the many material concessions
forced from the Senate. But In its moral sig
nifcance his victory has been even more signal.
He was combating the idea that special and
local interests should combine 70 dictate tariff
rates for private advantage. He stood for a
recognition Of the nations paramount concern in
tariff legislation and for the settlement OF dis
puted questions their own merits, unveXed by
the Intrusion of personal pledges and private
obligations. II time to administer a rebuke
10 the latter method of tariff making. and Mr..
Taft crushingly administered it, His higher
ideals of party faith and public obligation have
triumphed. and that triumph will make the way
easier for intelligent and fair minded tariff legis-
lation in the future.