Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-14

NO politics in the new tariff board
is the way that President Taft says
he will run it. The president may be
entirely honest in thus trying TO elm
mate the tariff from politics, but such
a Uropian idea IS as uuattainable as
foretelling the way the wind will blow.
The fact that President Taft signed
the tariff bill because his party had
passed it, although it did not redeem
the promises that he made previous
TO his election. shows how partisan A
matter the tariff is and always will be
Taxation is ever partisan political
matter as long as the many tax payers
are plundered for the benefit of the
few, which is the design and intent
of protection. Our civilization, ad-
vanced as it is, has not yet evolved
a plan of taxation that would be
equitable to all citizens. If the presi-
dent believes that he can make the
tariff leopard lie down with the bieat-
ing and taxed lamb while the princi-
pie of protection prevails, he will soon
be undeCeived. The lambs are, of
course, helpless as long as the repub-
lican party is in power, but they will
never stop bleating until the leopard
is muzzled and his claws are cut.
In this matter of the tariff we must
be practical, Mr.. Taft, and you will find
it not possible to eliminate politics
from your new tariff board. Doubtless
Won can appoint men who will do your
bidding. but with all due Difference.
that would only bring them TO your
level which is of necessity. quite par
tisan.
The tariff cannot be revised very
far downward by those who declare
that protection is a cardinal principle
of the republican party. and that is
what even the insurgents say they
stand for If the tariff taxes ended
with the collection of duties at the
custom houses there would be posi-
hility of finding enough competent men
to act as the tariff board and to agree
on fair rates. Any tariff tax is protec-
ton to the home producer, even on ar
ticles that are on the free list. The
transportation and other charges for
shipment from one country to another
protect the home producer from com
petition TO just the extent Of such
charges.
But a very small proportion Of the
articles consumed in the United States
is imported, yet the price Of the home
products keeps closely to the price OF
The imported goods on which the tar
if tax has been paid. Competition be-
tween the home producers has been
eliminated on many products by trusts,
combines or "gentlemen's agreements
to keep up prices, so that the price
of the home product almost reaches
that Of similar imported articles. That
is what the people are complaining
about, Mr. President, and from which
they seek relief.
For 80 years, with only very short
interim. these high protection tariff
taxes have been imposed, and the
amount collected last year was S294,-
667. O54. How much the indirect tariff
tax was on home products in conse-
0uence of protection is matter of in
tricate computation. Experts estimate
that each family in the United States
paws directly and indirectly in conse-
uuence of the tariff an average OF SOS
per annum, of which only SIG per fam
iIv goes to the government, while $50
goes to the trusts, etc.
How can there be no politics in the
tariff issue as long as this plunderlng
of the many for the benefit of the few
continues? Before the election nearly
every member of the cabinet was on
the stump defending the Payne-Aldrich
law in the most partisan manner;
surely that hardly indicates mo poll
tics in the tariff board"