New-York tribune., 1909-12-13

hh. MItl E4Gh M foA GRE ~.
II is reported that Secretary Mac
Neagh's Boston speech has greatly dis
tnrhed some Of the ''stand-vatters" in
Congress. The Secretary talked frankly
10 the Massachusetts Bankers Associa-
ti0n about the general significance OF
last summers tariff legislation. Our val
ned contemporary The New York
Times" thinks that he relieved his
mind" and adds: What he had 10 say
has made a stir in Congress. and we
ARE not surprised" Yet Mr.. MacVeagh
said nothing about the Payne law which
was not repeatedly said about il last
summer 10y both its critics and its pro-
rioters i'm Congress. or which does not
fully harmonic with the views of the
great majority of voters all over the
country.
The Secretary remarked. for instance.
that the revision OF 1909 was the first
made by the Republican party with the
ayowed purpose OF lowering duties. He
pointed out that the Republican party
had reversed its attitude i'm thus aiming
a. reduction rather than an increase
Of tariff rates. But there is nothing new
or startling in such a statement. Mr..
Payne and Mr. Aldrich both insisted
last August that they had accomplished
a revision downward and denied any
intention on their part of seeking Il
revision upward" In 1883. 1891 and
1891 Republican Congresses increased
rates on the ground that increases were
Vu fn fus faf
Practically no increases were made last
summer except on luxuries-to raise
more revenue-or 20 overcome interpre-
tatiOns Of the Dinsley law which Con-
gress thought were too favorable 10 I'M
porters.
The Secretary Of the Treasury put n
high value on the board of tariff experts
created by the Payne law. He expressed
the belief that the beard would be able
tc furnish adequate information TO guide
Congress in making another revision,
carrying out tho declaration of the Re
publican national platform OF 1909 that
the protective duty imposed should equal
the difTerential I'm cost of production
here and abroad and allow n reasonable
Profit 10 the domestic producer. But
that is no new Interpretation of the
Tariff Board paragraph. The board was
created more as an agency for the col
lection Of information bearing on rates
and cost differentials than for any other
purpose. President Taft has repeatedly
said that he depended on the board TO
gather information as 10 the cost of pro-
duction here and abroad which would
have some authority and significance.
Nothing was more obvious than that
Congress lacked the means last summer
to lay duties on a scientific basis.
Ii was merely a corollaTy for Mr.. Mac
Neagh 10 add that, We're trustworthy
data secured. Congress would be able to
act more intelligently. and that hereafter
tariff Legislation would be based .'on
facts and knowledge and scientific in
''vestigatiOn. and not on mere barterin-
between sections and different inter
''eSts." Senator Root said last summer
only what everybody felt when he com
planned that there was no sufficient
check on the calculations Of those urg-
ing protective duties. Consequently each
interest tried 60 make the best bargain.
and members OF Congress were unable
10 tell whether what was asked WAS rea-
sonable or unreasonable. When they are
able 10 tell. Congressman can resist eX-
travagant demands lay proving their ex-
tTayaGance. We do not understand why
The stand patters" in Congress should
regard as strange doctrine. coming from
Mr.. MacNeagh. what was said hundreds
Of times i'm Congress itself at the last
session. Some Of them may prefer to
go on making tariff laws without the
aid of exact knowledge. But they viii
hardly contend that the announcement
that such knowledge was lacking last
summer is a sensational discovery.