The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-08-05
a Tariff At Work.
(From Baltimore American

BY next week it is expected the
tariff bill will be passed, and the
president will not be long in a(fixing
: to 1t his signature. The discussions
relating to the creation of tariff
hinge largely upon the relative adj
yantages Of particular schedules. 1t
liz difficult to get in advance the
mass effect. An eminent American
historian INDUCES in a rhapsody
over the invigorating free-trade
breezeS that blew across the country
as the result of an antebellum low
tariff measure. That was before
the creation of American industries
had become q dominant idea with
the people and before the era Of a
protective tariff for the development
OF American natural resources in
the form of American products
There never was, q tariff that so in
spfred the country Eas~ estariff that
was coterminous with the latest
chapter Of American advancement
the Dingley bill.
Yet that tariff measure, with all
its e1cellencies, permitted, while it
did not create the conditions Of
Overstimulation which caused the
reaction to set in that ended in the
panic. The direct responsibility was
not, of course, due to the tariff, any
more than the existence of Vegeta-
ton may be held responsible for
mosquitoes. 1t is extremely difficult
to trace the social effects of a tariff
and to assign the various factors to
their direct causes. The people sim
ply ascribe their prosperity or their
anVQTCjtU
Inducements, the state of manufac-
turing industry to the tariff under
which the country is working.
In advance Of the final enactment
OF a tariff measure it is too early to
indicate the probable adjustment of
the country to the measure. 1t is
enough at the present juncture to
know that the new tariff will pre-
sent features Of broad adaptation;
J. that it will not be simply a duplica-
--hon of the Dingley tariff; that it
Will have wide national effects.
Whether the ultimate consumer will
come into his own may not be said
Tor the reason that no one has as
yet located that individual. The
discussion of the bearings Of tariff
upon his interests is much that Of
the early economists relative to the
economic man, an individual non
existent who was supposed to be
without any Of the benefits Of organ
lied society until he gradually and
progressively assumed the condi-
lions that conferred the benefits
The ultimate consumer is the econ
omic man in an advanced stage OF
the assumption Of the duties imply.
ing the benefits of organized society
Such a conception as that of the
ultimate consumer is purely acade
mic; 1T merely means the population
In toto without regard to the various
classes Of producers or distributors
= OF goods. Consequently, lust how
the consumer will be benefited will
K be matter Of sometime to deter
mine; certainly as much as q wear
The tariff at work must make il!
disclosures, and all the sDeculation,
or criticisms made in advance vii
: have little value. The wide differ
ence among the trainers of the tariff
show how difficult it is to secur
anything like a consensus of opinio,
even among party associates as t,
the ultimate results to flow out O
any other tariff policy. The DroduC
tton Of revenues must be guarantee
and this has been guaranteed by tn
tariff that has been framed. TIL
production OF social welfare is an
other matter. Nevertheless. it ca
be seen that the tariff will be re
ceived by the people as the fruit {
the extra session Of congress will b
favorable to the adaptions Of Sc
=. citey in a manner to confer benefit
! to the consumer. AS soon as tn
tariff becomes the law OF the Ian
the industries Of the country wi
:, become busy, interpreting it's term
/. In trade effects. The actual worl
i ing Of the tariff will very soon begi
81 - reveal the advantages that ma
result to the country. .. 81.