Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-07-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July "a, 1909.

WASHINGTON, July "A, l9O9.
While the attention of all those in
terested in the tariff is concentrated
just at present on the efforts of the
President to secure certain specific re-
ductions, such as free hides, free coal,
free iron ore and free petroleum and
the House rate of 81 thousand feet
on lumber, the general success of Mr..
Taft's influence in favor of downward
revision is likely to be lost sight of.
The Presidents demand for these
specific reductions partook somewhat
of the spectacular and has been made
the most of by the newspapers in
their efforts to add interest to a situa-
ton which is extremely technical and
presents many difficulties to those who
would write of it entertainin gly
Each day there are fluctuations in the
situation precipitated by the Presi-
dents demands and those "make
copy" to use newspaper phase. But
the consumer and the voters is really
more interested in the small reductions
which have been made throughout the
schedules of the Senate bill. There is
no doubt in the mind of any unpre-
judiced observer that Mr.. 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 all
present prospects fail, they will find
small reductions all along the line to
the number of about six hundred. But
of far more Importance in the estima-
tion of the President, and it is Il safe
prediction that it viii be in the estima-
ton of the people, will be the provis-
ions for a corporation tax and for
tariff commission. These provisions
will, Mr.. Taft believes, afford the
machinery necessary to a future tariff
revision which will be in accordance
with the tariff plank in the last nationa
platform, and without such machinery
the fuIfilment of that plank is an i'm
possibility. The fact is that President
Taft is the leader of new school Of
protection-new just now, at least, al
though it is actually a return to the
arguments originally advanced in favor
Of the protective policy. Those who
first secured the adoption of the
protective policy submitted that
wages abroad were much lower
than in the United States. that
many industries thrived in foreign
countries which did not exist here and
that in order to maintain the demand
for labor in this country and SO main
tain the higher wage scale it was neces-
sary to impose tariff which should
equal the difference in the cost of pro-
duction here and abroad. The policy
was adopted, American industries were
established and the wage scale was
maintained. But prices to the con
sumer were increased. This occasion
ed some protest but the protestants
were assured that once the infant in
dustries were fairly on their feet in
ternal competition would cause re-
duction of prices especially as Ameri-
can enterprise and American ingenuity
would operate to reduce the cost of
production.
A great deal is being written about
conflict between Clifford Pinchot, Ma
tional Forester and Judge R. A. Bal
linger, Secretary of the Interior, and
the effort is being made to create the
impression that Mr.. Pinchot rather
than Secretary Ballinger enjoys the
confidence of the President. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Judge
Ballinger enjoys the entire confidence
of President Taft and, moreover, he is
too big a man to make any war on
Pinchot, who is only subordinate of
one of his colleagues in the cabinet,
Secretary Wilson. There is no con
hict between Secretary Wilson and
Secretary Ballinger.
tn NaI