The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-05-01
By Herman B. Walker, Special
Correspondent of the Duluth
Labor World.
ALDRICH'S TARIFF PLANS
EVOKE MUCH OPPOSITION
Party Lines Ignored and Republi-
cans and Democrats Unite for
Common Defense.

WASHINGTON, April Ex-senator
A!drich's tariff revision programme is
in trouble. His bill is nnde: fire. The
storm of opposition is even more fierce
than is usually .brewed by tariff tinker
ing. In previous tariff rev!sions the
differences in congress have been al
most wholly partisan. In the senate
today, party lines are almost lost to
sight. Democrats and western repub-
licans Of the radical and progressive
type are planning fusion to force an
income tax
Tho Aldrich Schedules.
The main attack on the Aldrich
schedules is being led by republicans,
while democratic senators from many
southern states are contentedly con-
templating increased protection given
products from their localities and ex-
pressing willingness to agree to any
thing else that may be proposed so
long as their constituents get what
they want. Aldrich, Kean, Hale, Lodge
and other conservative leaders are
fighting income tax tooth and nail,
while not less than eighteen republican
senators are under agreement to vote
for an income tax. The republican
members Of the finance committee,
of which Aldrtch is chairman, are
denying there is any pledge to reduce
the tariff, while such republican SEN
ators as Cummins and Dolliver, Of
Iowa, La Toilette Of Wisconsin and
Nelson Of Minnesota, are the leaders
of a growing band Of republicans who
insist that the republican party is
pledged to real downward revision,
and that this pledge must be redeemed
Tariff Bill in House.
In the house the ariff bill was not
read at all. Three weeks were al
lowed for speech-making, and three
days for debate, and separate votes
were permitted only on tea and coffee,
hi1nDer, hides, petroleum, barley and
barley malt. In the senate there is
no limit Or restriction on either de-.
bate Or amendment. Each paragraph
and each item may be considered sep
arately, and any part is open Nor
amendment up to the time a final vote
is taken on the passage of the whole
bill.
AS presented to congress, the revis--
ion problem is triple one. From vari-
Gus sides demands are made that the
bill passed must accomplish one or all
of these things:
First-It must satisfy or pacify the
public demand fo ra reduction Of du-
ties that will destroy monopoly prices
and reduce cost of living.
Second-1t must preserve intact the
principle of protection for American
industries and labor.
Third-1t must produce enough rev.
enue to pay off the present treasury
deficit and prevent future deficits.
Tariff Revenues Demanded.
In round numbers, congress is spend
ing about a billion dollars a year. and
under present conditions about a third
of this money must be raised from
customs taxes. The present tariff rev.
enues have fallen behind the increase
in appropriations for government pur-
poses. There is now in sight treas
ury deficit of more than 100000, ,O0O
Whatever else is done, it is conceded
that the government must borrow
money to pay it's running expenses.
The pending tariff bill proposes the
sale Of $200,000,000 of short term notes
or bonds, and Senator Aldrich wants
the interest rate on bonds raised from
two to three per cent.
From Labor's Standpoint.
Official reports and statistics show
that living expenses, cost of food and
necessities Of life have increased faster
than wages. Bureau of labor investi-
cations show that the average weekly
earnings of employees in 1907 would
%le1
earnings in 1900; that the average
weekly wage in 1906 would buy less
food than the average weekly wage
in 1896 or 1897. Other Investigations
have disclosed the fact that the in
crease in prices is highest in trust
controlled Industries and products
which benefit from prohibitive or very
high tariff duties.
Manufacturers Position.
Manufacturers demand continued
high or higher protection, as a rule,
and insist that reduction Of duties
means loss Of business for them, less
work and lower wages for their en-
ployes, and further impairment of
general prosperity. There are several
thousand articles enumerated in the
tariff schedules. The old republican
idea Of protection isthat the tariff
should equal the difference in the cost
Of production here and abroad. Con-
gress has no information as to what
that difference is. A committee de-
cides, in few weeks Of hearings and
conferences, what duty each article
shall carry. Interested producers or
dealers present facts, figures and ar
guments such as will bolster up their
own plea for such treatment as will
best serve their own ends These
figures and arguments are about all
congress has to work op. 1T must de-
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