New-York tribune., 1910-02-26
THE DAylN WASHINGTON

TO forecast the results of the negotiations
with Canada.
THE NEW REcIPROCITY.-Wit re-
alization of the benefits derived fTom the
maximum and minimum clause of the
Payne bill will also come an appreciation
of the fact that if this country had more
to offer even greater concessions could
have been obtained. President Taft is de-
ter,nined to set the Tariff Board to work
Immediately after the close of its present
labors to ascertain the actual cost here
and abroad of all classes of goods pro-
tected by the Payne bill. There Is reason
TO believe that many instances will be
found where still further reductions Of the
rates Of duty could be made without injury
&c American industries. Then the scheme
OF reciprocity referred to will be proposed
This will consist of inducing Congress to
empower the Executive to grant such re-
auctions can be made without injury to
American manufacturers 10 such countries
as viii make special and adequate conces-
sions TO imports from the United States.
In other words, ii will not be proposed to
give away further reductions without re-
turn, but to obtain therefor generous con-
cessions for the American foreign trade
In this, as in all things else. the Taft ad-
definite end, with a carefully conceived and
farreaching policy in view. and one which,
aS 1t develops. must strongly commend
Itself to the American public
COST OF LITING.-Readers of The
Tribune are not likely to be misled by the
efforts of the Democrats to discredit in
advance the inquiry being conducted by the
committee of which Senator Lodge is chair
man into the increased cost of living. Re-
ports emanating from partisan sources to
the effect that If is the purpose of the
majority of the committee to save the
face of the trusts are not only wholly
without foundation but they were dis
counted in this column many days ago.
where it was told that Lodge himself
fully expected that in a number of in
stances combinations in restraint of trade
would be found at the bottom of the dis
crepancy between the cost of goods to the
consumer and the price received by the,
producer Moreover there will be no at
tempt to suppress any evidence which may
tend TO show that the tariff has been the
occasion of Increased costs. Unfortunately
for those who would attribute to the tariff
all the increases of cost, the facts show
Increases in the cost of many things not
protected increases in the case of others
on which the tariff has been lowered, as In
the case of boots and Shoes and simuta-
neous and proportionate increases in both
free trade and highly protected countries
But If increases due to the Payne bill
should be shown. Mr.. Lodge and his Re
publican associates will frankly avow the
fact and merely set forth the compensating
benefits of the tariff law, leaving the pub
lie to draw its own conclusions.
sTULTIFIED PROPHETs-If the read
ing public had longer memory the nu-
merous predictions. made with the utmost
assurance, that the postal savings bank
bill would never come to vote in the
Senate, that Senator Aldrich was deceiving
the President and purposed quietly TO knife
the measure at the most appropriate hour,
etc, which have been made in many of
the anu-adninistration newspapers, would
be promptly recalled in the light of the
agreement Of the Senate to vote on that
measure on March ,, and the newspapers
which thus recklessly deceived their read
ers would find a less gullible constituency
in the future. That the postal bank meas
ure will be passed by large ma jority III
the Senate and viii be put squareIy up to
the House leaders is now assured The
House leaders are not favorable to the
measure, but until the time comes for Mr.
Taft TO exert his persuasive powers on
them definite predictions of the ultimate
failure of the bill are not warranted. In
the light of existing conditions. they even
SAVIOR strongly of purpose to misead
The favorable report on the administration
interstate commerce bill might also serve
to embarrass some prophets of failure were
they susceptible to embarrassment.
G. G.. II.