The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-10-27
TIMELY COMMENT FROM
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Possibility That the United States May
Be Involved in Tariff War with
Some European Ma

remains to be seem The weapons for
such war are already in position, guns
are now being trained, and ammunition
is being collected. The outcome win de-
pend upon the degree Of acquiescence
with which foreign nations are willing
to regard our new tariff law, and upon
the indulgence, OF rigidity, with which
the United States officials enforce II,
For there is no doubt that the United
States IS determined to enforce its rights
to an equal opportunity in the markets
Of the world. II there are to be any
nations specially favored in the matter
Of customs rates, the United States
must be one Of them. This country Il
not asking any favors that are not ac-
corded to others, but it does hold, for
instance, that II shall receive for its
merchants from France the same Gus
toms treatment that France gives to
German merchants on the same class Of
articles, and Congress has provided the
means BY which, II Is believed, that may
be ensured.
Should a tariff war be inaugurated
between any one Of the big European
countries and the United States there IS
no doubt that il would be, at least tenn
porarily, disastrous to many industries
IN both countries. But as the United
States produces one-third Of the worlds
supply Of food products, it has the other
countries handicapped in such CONNER
cial warfare and the increased cost Of
living in any country that precipitated
a fight would, it is thought, soon pro-
duce United States terms.
As Is well known, the means by which
this country hopes TO be able to compel
the entrance OF American commodities
into foreign markets on equal terms
with those of any other country, Is the
maximum and minimum section OF the
new tariff law. In brief, this simply
means that those nations that do not
allow American products 20 enter their
ports on equal terms with similar articles
from other countries will find, after
March 81 next, their own products, sent
TO the United States, taxed rs per cent
more than the regular tariff rates, and
more than the same class Of goods COM
ing from other countries that have been
found to treat the United states fairly
In order to carry this policy into effect
a board has been appointed BY President
Taft to examine all the tariffs Of for
cign countries SO as to see lust which
ones do discriminate against the United
States and give favored treatment to
the products Of other nations. That
board consists Of Prof Henry G. Emery,
formerly Of Yale university, James n
Reynolds, formerly assistant secretary
Of the treasury IN charge Of customsg
and Alvin H. Sanders, an expert in agri-
cultural products and values Quarters
are being prepared for them in the treas.
ury building Immediately over those oc.
cupied by the secretary Of the treasury
himself. They call themselves "the
tariff board
The first real meeting Of this board
for the tranaction Of business viii be
on November l But, in the meantime
a lot Of preliminary work is being done
Prof. Emery, who is in charge. has coll
lected together practically all Of the
tariff laws Of every country In the
world Some Of them have had to Be
translated, but the most Of them are
already available in the English Ian.
gnage A study Of all these is to be
made for the purpose Of aseertaining
whether, and in what particulars, they
against the United States.
In further calculation Of this ques-
ton 1t has been deemed advisable to
interropate individual merchants and
importing firms in the United States.
Four thousand letters have been sent
out asking such firms whether they have
been subjected 10 special determinations
In the expectation Of goods to foreign
Most 81 these have replied
that they had no complaint to make,
have come in indicating that there was
but, in few special cases, answers
good reason for the action Of Congress
In passing the retaliatory law.
What these exceptions are ii, Of course
not yet officially disclosed, but they will
be made the basis Of Of investigation
and, probably, Of subsequent complaint
to The offending governments.
The purpose and effect Of the mani.
mum feature Of the new tariff law is
set forth clearly In the letters sent
out by the Tariff Board They are
as previously stated, sent to indiYid-
ual firms and read as follows:
As you are aware, the new Tariff
Act Of August 9Th, 1909, provides that
the duties on imports into this country
shall, after March 3lst 1870 be those
prescribed BY Section Of the act, plus
% per cent ad valorem. Those max
imum rates 90 into effect automatical-
". except where the President shall by
declare that country does
80 H. 4aetH ~nry,,i, ttS,,s ~. =, ~..1 "a
way, discriminate unduly' against the
United States or the products thereof
In case the Presidents decides that any
country does not make such discrfmin-
alton, the duties to be levied on goods
imported from such country will bsl
those Of the published schedules, which
the minimum tariff.
"a tariff board has been appointed
by the President, whose duty It is to
assist him in determining whether or
not undue discrimination does exist at
the present time under the laws or rega
Iations of any country. 1t is necessary
for the proper fnltillment OF this duty
that the Tariff Board should have full
not only ais to the formal
or regulations Of foreign
in this regard, but also as to
the practical working Of any such laws
or regulations in their effect on Ameri
ran export trade.
In carrying out the purposes of this
act the Board desires and asks for the
OF the business interest Of
the country. We invite communica