Middletown transcript., 1909-07-31
on In

I4E Ils ention ol ali those ID.
ss rs tariff il concentrated
present % tha efforts IL the pfasI'
ae6 10 secure cstl1iu specific Fedneiionz,
such IS free hides. IRE eoaI. ifss iron aFe
alid free pettoleuui and the H0ueg rate ol
81 ) tllousa1i fsef On lumber, Ehe general
sacrsas ai Az Taft insi0ahce ID favor Of
dowusaId revision Is likely to b Lost
sight Of The Presidents demand for
these epeciac reductions partook aome.
what of tie spectacular aud has been
made the most Of by tlle newspapers in
their efforts 10 add Interest to situation
which isextrslnely technical and presents
many difficulties to these who would
write of il entertainineiy. Each day
there are fluctuations Ia ths situation pre-.
cipitated by the Presidents demands and
those make copy, to use q newspaper
phase. But the consumer and The voters
are really more interested in the small re-
ductiona which have been made through.
out the schedules Of ths Senate BILL
There is no doubt in the mind OF any un-
preiudiced observer that MI. Taft has
exerted material influence and that but
fOr his efforts the rates generally would
be considerably higher.
When the President and the people
come to cast up the results, unless alf
present prospects fail. they win find
small reductions all along the line TO the
number Of about six hundred. But Of
far more importance in the estimation Of
jthe President, and ii is q sale prediction
Ithat Il viii be in the estimation Of the
people, will be the provisions for a cor
porasion tax and for tariff commission.
These provisions will, Mr.. TAFT believes,
afford the machinery necessary 10 future
tariff revision which will be in accordance
,Fith the tariff plank in the last national
platform, and without such machinery
the fulilment of that plank Is an iEn-
possibility. The fact Is that President
Taft is the leader Of new school Of
just now, at least, al /
though il is actually return TO the ar.
gbments originally advanced in favor Of
she protective policy. Those who first
secured the adoption Of the protective
policy submitted that wages abroad were
lover than In the United States, that !
many industries thriyed in foreign coun.
tries which did not exist here and that in ]
order 70 maintain the demand for labor |
10 shis country andso maintain the higher
wage scale il was necessary to impose
tariff which should equal The difference
10 the coss Of pFOdnetion here and abroad.
The policy Was adopted, American In
dustries were established and the wage
scale was maintained. Bat prices to the
were increased. This occa-
stoned some protest but the protestantH
were assured that once the iriant indus
tries were fairly on their feet internal
would cause a reduction Of
prices, especially as American enterprise
and American ingenuity would operate
10 reduce the cost Of production.
After a time there come the insistent
demand for lower duties which bore fruit
IN that nondeseript measure, the Wilson
German tariff bill. Coincident with ito
adoption came a period of financial de-
preston and as soon as possible the Re-
publicans we're restored TO power and the
DINGHY bill was enacted It's rates were
high and the demand for lower prices
vas again heard. Then men Of the school
If the late Secretary Of the Treasury, /
Leslie NJ. Shaw, took the roetrum and |
advanced that the ideal tariff would con-
Itruct a wall around the country which
would admit no imports but would trust
o domestic competition TO lower prices.
dr. Shaw was fond of saying that bis
ather never thought ii necessary, once
le had fenced bis farm, 10 60 around
knocking boards off the top because the
ence was TOO high. But there were
,thers who saw through the fallacy Of
hat argument. They observed that do
nestle competition Bas insufficient to
,riDg down prices and that instead trusts
we're being formed to maintsin them,
While the consumer suffered. Then arose
he demand for measure Of protection
which would be only sufficient to equal
he difference between the cost Of pro-
luction here and abroad thus reason
Ible profit for the manufacturer. Presi-
lent Taft is the leader Of that demand.
But be realizes that with existing ma.
hinery there is no possibility Of meas.
ring that difference and so be regards
bill which will provide that machinery
8 more important to the iulflment Of /
he party pledge than specific reductions {
n the tariff rates.
~ II
A great deal is being written about d /
onHict between Clifford Pinchet, NationaH
FORESTER and Judge R. A. Ballinger,
Of the Interior, and the effort
J being made to create the impression
hat Mr.. Pinchot rather than Secretary
laIIinger enjoys the confidence Of tie
resident. Nothing could be further from !,
he truth. Judge Ballinger enjoys the
ntire confidence Of President Taft and,
lorever, he is too big . man to make
ny war on Pinchot, who is only q sub
rdinate Of one Of his colleagues in the
abinet, Secretary Wilson. There is no
Dhflict between Secretary Wilson and
ecretsry Ballinger.
BIRDS FEET III FLIGHT u
When the new twenty dollar cold piecs