The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-02

some are wide Of the mark and most
unjust.
sThe truth is that under the old pro
tectiye idea the only purpose was to
make the tarin high enough to protect
me home industry.
Exceas Considered.
.sThe excess of the tarin over the
|direrence OF the cost OF production
here and abroad was not regarded as
because 1t was supposed
that competition between those who
enjoyed the high protection would keep
the price for. the consumer down to
what was reasonable for the manufac-
turer.
.sThe evil OF excessive tarin rates,
however, showed itself in the tempta-
tion of manufacturers to combine and
suppress competition and then to main
tain the price SO as to take advantage
az the excess of the tariff rate over the
difference between the cost OF produc-
ton abroad and here.
One Good Step.
.The Payne tariff bill is the first bill
passed by the Republican party in
which the necessity for reducing rates
TO avoid this evil has been recognized,
and it is therefore decided step in
the right direction, and it ought to be
accepted as such. On the whole, it was
a downward revision, particularly on
articles of necessity and on raw mate
rails. The actual figures on the first
years operation of the law demon
strate this. It must also be remember
ed that the tariff rates in the new law
on imported liquors, wines and silks
were increased substantially over the
Dingley rates, because these were lux
uries, and it was intended to increase
the revenue.
Not Cause Of Expense.
"The charge that the present tar1fl
is responsible for the increase in the
prices of necessities is demonstrably
false, because the high prices, with
very few exceptions, affect articles in
the tariff upon which there was no In
crease in rates or in respect to which
there was substantial reduction.
Tariff Commission.
perhaps more important than any
one feature of the operative part OF
the tariff law is that section which
enables the executive to appoint a
| tariff commission or board to secure
the needed information for the proper
amendment and perfection of the law
| When the commission completes its
work, either on the entire tariff or or
any of the schedules. in respect te
which issue has arisen, and the worf
of the commission shows that the
present tariff is wrong and should BIZ
changed, expect to bring the matter
Ito the attention of the congress, witt
q view to its amendment of the tariff
in that particular.
Rule IL Needed.
"Of course, this will be impracticablt
unless congress itself shall adopt the
parliamentary rule, as / hope it will
that a bill to amend one schedule o.
the tariff may not be subject to mo
ftion to amend by adding changes il
other schedules
/ 1T will thus be possible to take VI
q single schedule with respect to which
it is probable that great majority o
each house will be unprejudiced t.
admit the evidence, and to reach fail
conclusion, and this method will tent
to avoid disturbing business condt
lions. J.
Should Abide Result.
For these reasons it seems to me
that all Republicans conservative
progressive and radical wei
abide the situation with respect to thu
tariff until evidence now being &C
cumulated shall justify changes in thu
rates; and that it is much better fol
them to vote for Republicans than t.
help create a Democratic majority
which would be utterly at war with thu
protective principle, and therefore
would have no use for the findings o
the tariff commission, as we may Ger
tainly infer from the solid Democrat,
vote in the present congress agains
the necessary appropriation for The
commissions work"
& & Us