New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-26
ATTACKS on THE DOUBLE RATE.

Tho u,aximuu-minimum tariff provisions OF
the PAYNE bill are being attacked by persons
who seem 10 think that they are hkely 10 pro
woke tariff warfare between the United STATES
and certain foreign countries which Will decline
10 take advantage Of the rates contained IN our
minimum schedule. These critics profess 10 De-
Ieve that many countries will choose to SEND
their products into our market at the maximum
rates rather than give us the most favored
nation treatment which we on our part are pre-
pared 10 offer They foresee much opposition
from countries which send large quantities OF
taxed goods here TO making a fair exchange
with the United States. dealing with us in the
same spirit of friendship and equality In Wnlch
we desire to deal with them. Such forecasts
seem to us I'll founded. since they assume tnat
Germany and France for example, which. Win
Great Britain are the chief exporters 10 the
United States Of dutiable merchandise. VIII re
fuse us. after the Payne bill passes. favors
which they have heretofore been glad to grant
us (favors too, which we shall soon be in posi-
ton TO repay more literally, will resent our
new advances and go off in huff, leaving their
commercial rival Great Britain, TO enjoy undls-
turbed the advantages of our minimum tarln
The charge is made that the Payne maximum
minimum plan must involve US in worid-"lde
trade war and compel US 10 impose maximum
duties on a large proportion Of our imports But
why should II have those effects: with coun-
tries which have only n single schedule tarlH.
and which apply that single schedule without
discriminating against the United States, our
trade relations will adjust themselves auto
matically under the Payne scheme. Such coun-
tries Will get at once the benefit of our mini
mum rates In that class Great Britain.
Canada Australia, the other British possessions
Mexico. Cuba, Japan. China and most or the
countries Of Central and South America ProD-
ably from three-fifths to two-thrds of our pres
ent export trade is with countries with when
we are already on a most favored nation foot
ing.
As we have said before. there does not seem
10 us 10 be any valid reason for doubling that
countries like Germany and France, which nave
maximum minimum rates, will be glad TO con-
tinue to trade with US on a basis OF equality.
Why should they want to handicap themselves
in the competition for American business: Ger
many Is Great Britains most active European
rival in manufactures. commerce and transporta-
ton She cannot afford to allow Great Britain
an easier entry than she herself enjoys into
the American market Economic pressure will
force Germany and France to seek the benefit
of our minimum schedules at the small price
Of admitting American products at the same
rates that are laid on similar products from
other nations.
. The members Of the Ways and Means Com
mttee could pever have had the idea of putting
the maximum rates into effect except as an
exceptional and a deserved penalty. If they had
had they would not have drawn their bill so
as TO insure the admission of the great bulk
of our importatiOns at the minimum rates. In
the House of Representatives the other day
Mr.. Payne fatty repudiated the notion that
maximum rates are likely to be applied except
In rare instances. He said:
that this was trick on the part of the COM
mittee: that while had reduced rates in the
first section we had added 20 per cent of duty
in some instances to the Dingley rate. and IN
some instances to the free section. and that that
was the joker; that the maximum rate was the
rate on which the nations Of the earth were TO
enter our markets. Did they stop to think that
that great country of our cousins-the English
give u.s. as they give every other nation of the
earth. equal trade relations, and from the very
moment that this bill becomes law until il is
finally repealed Great Britain will be entitled To
come into this country with its products pre-
cisely at the minimum rates IN Sections 1 and .?
Take her great rivals for market France
and Germany: can they stand by and see Great
Britain take up that trade and they do nothing?
Is there any within the sound Of my
voice that supposes for a minute that France
and Germany and the nations of the earth
seeking our markets will not Immediately avail
themselves Of the minimum rate which we offer
in Sections l and .? Now you may call
may call II holding out the olive branch of peace
in trade by giving them the minimum rates If
they deal fairly with Us. nut Whatever you call
It 1t IS absolutely certain that the great nations
of the earth viii take the advantage which We
give them under Sections and Of this act 70
make their rates with such as to- get the
rates prescribed in these sections.
We are disposed 10 think that some latitude
should be given TO the executive department in
determining whether or not foreign country
is discriminating against American imports.
A theoretical discrimination may exist yet il
may be so petty as 10 be negligible. Time might
we'll be allowed FOR removing such discrimina-
tons by negotiation. and the discrimination
should be shown TO be material before retalla-
ton was undertaken by the United States. AS
thus modified the Payne scheme would. we
think work to remove all determinations
against American trade and 10 keep only the
minimum rates in force against dutiable for
eign products.