New-York tribune., 1909-02-21
THE TARIFF IN POLITICS.

II IS surprising TO find some newspapers WIN
generally progressive tendencies belltulng the
movement TO create a permanent larlE coihinis -,
son a,,d snoring at the idea of taking the tarin
o,,+ of marty politics THE Philadelphia Rec
ord" treats the notion of preparing tarins not
for the benefit of section or q party out lor
the benefit of the nation as whole as ue
lusion," and says:
The talk about taking the tariff out OF poI,.lcs
is a patent absurdity, because general agree
mont on The tariff cannot be hoped Ior, aIlu uiI
ferences over the tariff are pollucs IN llleIn S
eass -ond on which opinions differ is inherently
6oIiticaI. The commission would be as poltlca.
as Congress- and if IL were possible 10 MAKE -. -
less Congress Woulc pay ho e'' -
recommendations
That is an essentially cynical view, Tor IL
assumes that we cannot as q nation overcome
tho rreiudices and errors Of the past ana learn
IN deal with q highly complicated proo!em IKE
tariff legislation in a spirit OF mooeraIloh anu
intelligence and with view solely 10 the ger
eral welfare Everybody knows that from the
beginning of the Republic the quesuon Oh lni-
nosIng tariff duties has been unfortunaIei! coii-
Dlicated with sectional antagonisms. Ihere was
a distinct cleavage Of interests between 'o
North which was in positonJto develop manu-
foc+,rinU Industries owing to its system of free
labor and the South which was tied TO agri-
crI+11re bv its system OF slave labor. Duues
which protected and encouraged manufacture
,ore heavily on the South. and as time wore On
+be Southern politicians became more ana more
frnDatient of a burden imposed on them Dy lle
defects of their peculiar institution. Ihey ue.
r,anded free trade or the lowest posSlple tarin
duties because they saw that tarin "a9
steadily strengthening the free states at ther
expense.
So long as the two sections were thus ar
roved against each other the tariff was burn
inp issue in politics Duties were raised when
tho one section gained CONTROL of the govern
ment. and lowered when the other was suohS
enough 10 lower them. Naturally IN that long
neriod sectional and partisan considerations
Governed almost entirely in tariff leglslauoh-
There was no chance for the development OF d
system treating both sections fairly ana IoohlhS
to the advantage of the nation as a Whoie' Even
as late as the first and second Cleveland admin
i+ra+ions the South. through its control of the
Democratic party. aimed at upsetting the pro-
tective system and going back TO the free e1-
change theory TO which the institution OF sIaV-
cry had so long committed it
The South has now in great part emanci-
mated itself. 1t has the free labor with which
alona manufactures can be developed, and its
economic interests are being harmonized win
the interests of the rest of the country Inc
tariff has pretty nearly ceased to be sectional
fact that the protective system cannot be over
thrown by assault, that II must remain and be
adapted gradually 10 the needs Of the nation,
serving not only means of promoting 90
mestic industry and protecting American LABOR
but also as an instrument for obtaining trade
concessions abroad II should not be considered
as means of fomenting sectional jealousies
or arraying one class against another Glass; but
as means of benef1ting all classes and ad-
vancing national prosperity. We do not believe
that the present system of logrolling in Con-
gress-every member trying TO get the most
possible for his particular constituency-must
be maintained forever. A commission Of high
character studying the question from all sides
would be much more likely TO suggest an equi-
table and beneficial scheme Of rates The tariff
can be taken ont of politics. If people will cease
TO think of it as material for insincere partisan
agitation. intended 10 nut one party in power or
drive another out The tariff agtators are al
ways in politics. But the tariff itself need not
be kept there for their comfort and benefit.