The Washington times., 1909-03-24
Continued from First Page.)

in an honest endeavor to ascertain the
truth. Most of the cross-f1-1ng among
witnesses was where one set OF pro-
7ected manufacturers fell afoul of an
other, growing out of two facts: First,
that the tariff pie was not evenly dis
tributed and each one wanted the big
Gest piece. Second, that what Is one
mans finished product is another mans
raw material-which produced clashes
among some OF the protected classes.
No free trader could yell more Justify
for free trade on raw materials than the
New England tariff reformers. and no
protectionist could yell louder for pro-
hibitive tariff on their manufactured
extend 20 Representative Fordney of
Michigan, a member of the Ways and
Means Committee, assurances of my
profoudest consideration as a fighter.
He would put a game cock to blush in
that regard. If consistency is virtue,
he is the most virtuous of men, If he
were given carte blanche to write a
tariff bill il would be short If not sweet,
and would be in these words: III an
article can be produced in this country
by any process or at any cost whatso-
ever nothing Ike It shall be imported
Is "Cn the job"
Every time we pounded into a hole
some greedy person, DESTROYS of holding
what pap he had or demanding more,
Brother Fordney set about prying him
cut, on the scriptural theory that every
man has z right to lift his own OK out
Of the ditch Neither Leonidas at the
Pass nor Horaius at the Bridge was
4 marker TO him. If. when he goes &c
Hoin the innumerable caravan. the pro-
hibitive protectionists do not build him
a monument which shall overtop WASH
iagton's, il will be clear that prohibitlVe
protectionists, as we'll as Republics are
aThe situation i'm which the Ways and
Means Committee found itself was un-
precedenIed. Both parties claimed or
platforms, in the the press, ana on tht
stump to be In favor OF reducing Illt
Dingley tariff rates. OF course, the Re
publican platform was equivocal. JudSF
Taft in his speeches construed II e
mean revision down, but nevertheless
many benighted Republicans did no
believe he was candid, for they came
boldly before the committee after lh'
election asserting that the platform de
cIared in favor Of raising the tariff
rates and that they were here TO de
lnand their pound OF flesh
"A Treasury deficit that may reacl
15G.0OO.O00 is the sad predicament L
which the much-vaunted Dingley bill ma
brought us. There are only three way
known among men by which dencienc,
may he cured: First, cut down eX
DenseS: second. increase taxes; intro
issue bonds. Really, 70 Issue bonds |
no remedy at all That simply post
pones the evil day; for they must b
paid. principal and interest, at last
Tax Increase.
Taxes should never be increase
wherever il IS possible to avoid it, Cut
ling down appropriations. without stint
yng the Government in any of its prope
functions, is the most proper remed
Tor a deficiency; but our Republica
brethren seem utterly incapable Of cut
ting down appropriations. So the Com
1nittee on Ways and Means was Unde
commission to somehow increase IN
revenue by about $50, 001. 600 per annum-
He criticised the Republican majoTit
of the Ways and Means Committee f.
not permitting the Democratic member
10 have a part in framing the tariff bll
II as a result of this refusal, he Salt
a prolonged debate should ensUe an
the business agony was continued II
weeks or even months, 1T would be we
10 remember that the blame should Re:
upon the Republican members of II
committee.
.'It is, or should be- he said, who'll
"a question of raising q certain amour
of revenue for customs duties In mai
ner the most equitable which the con
Iined wisdom and patriotism OF Coz
gress could devise. In the present sta
OF affairs every approximately Prohlb
tive rate ought to be cut to reVenl
basis There are many Of them in u
1bingley bill, a lerge portion Of WhiC
are retained in the Payne bill
For example. the Dingley rate
steel rails is S7.S4 a ton. which ever,
body knows is practically prohibitiV
That was cut in two But the truth
that In practice the Payne rate OF -.
rs prohibitive as the Dingley rate
1874 Andrew Carnegie says there
no tariff needed on steel rails eve
from a prOteCtiOnist's viewpoint and {