The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-03
THE TARIFF.


Speaking edftorially OF the tariff tan
gle, the Philadelphia North American
has progressed has been productive
only of distrust among business men
and disgust among the majority of the
republicans. Every hour has disclos-
ed new ''jokers,' new false pretense.
Protection no longer is an issue, but
the tariff is an issue. Party lines are
broken and there is more clamor for a
reduction in New England than in the
West. Says the North American:
The whole truth is that the tariff is
2 business matter, and the ways and
means committee OF the house and the
finance committee OF the senate are
Incompetent to handle 1t in a business
way. Let us quote the notification,
said upon the excellent authority Of
the New York Tribune, to have been
served upon President Taft after he
had expressed approval of the plan for
. permanent commission Of experts:
Messrs. Aldrich and Cannon told the
president-elect that there was not the
slightest use in urging the tariff COM
mission idea on congress: that congress
would have none Of it. They said
they were convinced that a commission
would serve no good purpose; that the
finance and ways and means commit
tees Of congress were composed of tar
If experts, who were amply competent
to readjust the schedules, and that the
members Of both houses would be most
unwilling to delegate their prerogatives
to q commission or to accept its rec
concentrations, were such a commits
sion created.
and accomplishments of these congress
sional tariff experts" after an inves-
tigation extending over many months.
The maximum. and minimum clause
the most important in the bill-was ad-
mitted to be a criminal blunder as soon
as The North American dissected it,
and Its authors are now trying hard to
patch it into at least plausible de-
ception.
There was prompt demand to know
what tax would be imposed upon coffee
from Brazil. This was Chairman
Paynes reply:
THE export duty on coffee: | don't
know just what it is, but it's matter
Of no consequence. Brazil will re.
move the export duty as soon as our
law goes into effect"
,cc{v. Al ho n
in the Dingley protection for this pro
duct. he was asked against what coun-
tries the maximum rates would be en-
forced. He answered impatiently:
''Oh. don't know about that. We
paid no attention to that matter. II
Is immaterial."
Representative Hill, informed of the
dearth of accurate information at the
Department OF Commerce and Labor
said:
I'VE considered all this immaterial
We decided that the United States
should take position and let other ma
tions come to 1t or not as they please.
The lumber schedule had been left
entirely to Lumberman- Congressman
Fordney. But when questioned con
corning the exact results of the bill
upon the shipping of Canadian lumber
and the workings Of the lumber trust
In the South, he answered by profess
ing ignorance and resorting to profani
ty on the floor of the mouse.
Yet these are the tariff experts
who undertake to frame bill which i.
to settle business conditions, relieve
the commercial man and the manufac
turer and the importer of all his doubt:
and anxieties, and permit the resump
ton OF business upon substantial ba
sis.
These are the men who would i'm
pose disguised tax on coffee tina
would provide no revenue for at leas
two years. but would enrich by many
millions the group Of Wall street mer
who have backed the Brazilian valori
cation scheme.
These are the men who have imposed
q tax on gls~es apparently for the sol,
benefit OF Littauer. the loyal Cannon
republican Of Gloversville. In Chair
man Payne's state.
These are the men who wrote the OF
schedule rs the Rockefellers woult
have It written and lifted the proposed
additional tar on beer because Murph,
and McCarren whipped group OF dem
ocrats into support Of Cannonism.
Tho inheritance tax they put In sim
ply d . sop to the president. It.
death In the senate Is assured.
And these are our experts.
Let the farce be finished as soon 4,
ccesihle and hasty work Of some sor
81 br0ught from the senate. And theI
let ~ hope that when peace comes