The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1910-09-13
Tariff Revision.

| gree III TdI6 USCWG6u Cu9 O6Q1OcraClC
policy of tariff for revenue only, and
the Republican policy of protection.
Those who are absolutely free traders
would wipe out all tariff take and col
lect the 1927, 900. 900 from other source
of taxation. But that would entail
either vast increase in the internal
revenue taxation, or an amendment to
the contribution to permit an income
tax or some other direct form of tax
alton, or an amendment to the consti-
tuition to permit an income tax or
some other direct tor of taxation.
Under the present conditions and cir
cumstances tariff for revenue and
not free trade or tariff for protection
is the most available means for rails
ing the money necessary to run the
government A tariff for revenue
means the taxation at low rate on
such imports as will be in the small
est degree burden some to the tax
| payers who are least able to bear it.
That is necessities must be either free
or the lowest possible rate assessed on
them, and Injuries should be taxed at
higher rate.
! The Republican policy of protection
| is to tax imports of manufactured ar
ticles so high that but little will be
imported, and to allow raw material
for: use to be imported
tree. The. iEsurgent Republicans de-
mand a reduction in rates on manufac-
lures by 'the imposition of such du-
ties as will equal the difference be-
tween the cost of production at home
and abroad together with a reasonable
profit to American industries" That
is the language of the Republican
national platform though the two fac
tions of that party interpret it differ
emily. The dominant faction even go
ing so far as to defend the increased
rates of some schedules of the new
tariff law under it,
The trouble with the Republican
tariff plank is that it was made to de-
ceive the voters and lead the insur-
gents into the stalWart net until after
election hich it did. But when the
tariff tIll was Introduced the discussion
of the tariff plank by both factions in
Congress so differed as to duties to be
nnp hot hoe
ra mpant and has continued so ever
since. To try and settle the matter in
the future President Taft has. what he
calls, commission at work both here
and abroad trying to discover what
the cost of production is here and
what it is abroad. 1t is hardly posi-
BILE that the commission will succeed
in its efforts for manufacturers are
most loath to give such information as
would expose their trade secrets to
their competitors and this. the highest
protection Republicans of the prctec-
tive Tariff League knew when they
concocted the plank and presented it
to the committee on resolutions of
the Republican National Convention.
That the investigation of the cost of
production at home and abroad has
been so far almost worthless, may be
judged by the proposal Of President
Taft to take up one schedule of the
tariff at a time for amendment and not
attempt wholesale revision" How
the President proposes to control the
Ways and Means Committee of the
House and the Finance Committee of
the Senate to confne the bill they will
consider to one schedule is not given
out at Bevrely. Nobody who has had
any experience in tariff-making would
attempt to strike off the high protec-
ton to the Wooden Trust unless a ma
jority of both houses of Congress ia
vors the reduction of the high protec-
ton to other trusts. 1t is about as
certain as death and taxes that for
their own protection all the trust in
terests in Congress and out of it, will
hang together and join forces in fight
ing this so-called scientific basis of
tariff amendment. Neither can it be
expected that those who wan. the
present big protection rates decreased
will be satisfied with the reduction of
the rates of some schedule that their
constituents are NOT interested in. ard
have to wait year or two for the
amendment of another schedule in
which they may .be interested is nu
dertaken.
Somebody would get left in carry
ing out such program if the Repu