New-York tribune., 1909-11-30
NO TARIFF DELAY
LEADERS OPPOSE 1T.
Insist on Enforcing Marimum
and Minimum Clause.
LFrom The Tribune Bureau

Ifrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Nov. 29.-Republican leaders
in Congress are giving no encouragement
10 the plan of Representative Mann. of iii
nois. 10 pass a resolution early In the APP
preaching session postponing for one year
or longer the operation of the maximum
and minimum section of the Payne tariff
law. They take the position that such
action would revive agitation for imme-
date tariff revision. unsettle business and
accomplish no good results.
They are not predicting a trade war with
Canada, but assert that IL such war Is 10
come IL will be brought on not by this
country. but by the action of the Dominion
government in granting TO other countries
trade concessions which are denied the
United States
That Canada presented the most serious
problem In connection with administration
of the maximum and minimum clause OF
the Payne law is not a recent discovery
Some of the complexities of the Canadian
situation were outlined in these dispatches
on November g. 1t was then stated that
students Of the tariff question are con-
vinced that the hardest task before the
Tariff Board in its Investigations for
proper application Of the maximum and
minimum clause will be presented by Can
ada"
Attention was called TO the fact that
scme of the Dominion provinces were en-
forcing customs regulations which consu-
tuted a serious discrimination against
American products. These Determinations
are more drastic In some provinces than IN
others. The possibility Of trouble win
Canada was foreseen by the makers OF the
tariff law. for they had the Dominion gov
ernment in mind when they framed that
part of the law giving the President dis
cretion to suspend the twenty-five per cent
Increase in tire case of political subdl-
visions of a foreign country. The Presi-
dents proclamation staying the 20 per
cent increase on March 81, 1870 may ex-
tend to the whole of any foreign eoun-
try or NAV be confined to or exclude from
its effects any dependency. colony or other
political subdivision having authority to
adopt or enforce tariff legislation, or to
impose restrictions or regulations, or 10
grant concessions on the expectation or i'm
portation of articles which are or may be
imported into the United States.
SPECIAL STUDY OF CANADA.
All three members OF the tariff board
have devoted special study to the Canadian
phase OF the tariff question. They will be
prepared before March 81 next TO lay be-
fore the President an accurate and COM
piete statement OF just what each Of the
Dominion provinces is doing in the way of
discrimination against the United States
Whether this discrimination in any case
is of such a character as to make il either
unnecessary or undesirable for this country
TO retaliate by the imposition of an addi-
tiOnaI duty of 25 per cent against importa-
tions from Canada or from any Of its
provinces, will be for the President to de-
termine.
Attention was called to the Importance OF
the word "unduly" in the maximum and
minimum section Of the Payne act i'm these
dispatches Of October "a The use OF this
word gives the President a wide discretion
in applying this section OF the law. If the
word ''unduly" had been omitted from the
law there can be no doubt that the 25 per
cent increase in the Payne rates would be
enforced against Canada. Germany, France
and several other countries on March 81.
The fact that this increase is not to be-
come effective against any foreign nation
unless il shall appear TO the satisfaction
OF the President that such nation "unduly
discriminates" against American products
and denies them treatment which is re-
ciprocal and equivalent will enable Mr..
Taft TO overlook minor determinations by
Canadian provinces and 10 view the ques-
tion in its broadest sense.