The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-09-29
srRoxG LETTER OF PRESIDENT
CONTINUED from Page ID

Come of the criticisms are just and
some are wide of the mark and most
unjust. =,
The truth is, that under the Old
protective idea the only purpose was
IN make the taTif high enough 10
protect the home industry. The ex-
cess of the tariff over the differences
IN the cost of production here and
abroad was not regarded as oo1ec-
,tonabIe. because 10 was supposed
that competition between those who
enjoyed the high protection wouid
keep the price for the consumer down
to what was reasonable for the man.
ufacturers. The evil OF excessive
tariff rates, however, showed itself
in the temptation OF manufacturers
TO combine and suppress competition.
and then TO maintain the prices 30 as
to take advantage OF the excess or
the tariff rate over the difference
between the cost OF production
abroad and here.
The Payne tariff bill Is the first
dill passed by the Republican party
in which the necessity for reducing
rates to avoid this evil has been rec
ognized. and 1t is therefore decided
step In the right direction and 1t
ought to be accepted as such. On
the whole, IL was a downward re-
vision, particularly on articles or
necessity and on raw materials. The
actual figures on the first years OPP
Grafton of the law demonstrate this.
1t must also be remembered that the
tariff rates in the new law on import
ed liquors, wines and silks were in
creased substantially over the Ding
ley rates, because these were luxu-
ries and II was intended to increase
the revenue.
The charge that the present tariff
prices of necessities is demonstrably
false, because the high prices, with
very few exceptions, affect articles in
the tariff upon which there was no
increase In rates or in respect to
which there was a substantial reduc-
ton.
Tariff Board.
Perhaps more important than any
one feature of the operative part of
the tariff law is that section which
enables the Executive to appoint
tariff commission or board to secure
the needed information for the prop
er amendment and perfection Of the
law. The difficulty in fixing the prop
er tariff rates in accord with the
principle stated in the Republican
platform is in securing reliable evil
dence as to the difference between
the cost of production at home and
the cost of production abroad. The
bias of the manufacturer seeking
protection and of the importer OPP
posing it weakens the weight of their
testimony. Moreover, when we un-
derstand that the cost of production
differs in one country abroad from
that in another, and that it changes
from year to year and from month
to month, we must realize that the
precise difference in cost of produc-
ton sought for is not capable of
definite ascertainment, and that all
that even the most scientific person
can do in his investigation is, after
consideration of many facts which he
learns, to exercise his best judgment
in reaching a conclusion.
The Commission, however, already
selected and at work, is commission
of disinterested persons who will as
certain the facts, not in a formal
examination of witnesses, but by the
kind of investigation that statis-
tieians and scientific investigators
use. When the Commission COM
pletes its work, either on the entire
tariff or on any of the schedules in
respect to which issue has arisen,
and the work of the Commission
shows that the present tariff is wrong
and should be changed, I expect to
bring the matter to the attention OF
the Congress with a view to its
amendment Of the tariff in that par
ticular. Of course, this will be i'm
practicable unless Congress itself
shall adopt the parliamentary rule
as hope it will, that a bill to amend
one schedule of the tariff may not be
subject to motion to amend by add
ing changes in other schedules.
1t will thus be possible to take III
a single schedule with respect tt
which it is probable that a great ma
jority Of each House will. be unprei
udiced, to submit the evidence, ant
to reach fair conclusion, and thi
method will tend to avoid disturbin,
business conditions. For these rea
sons 1t seems to me that all Repub
icans-conservativ progressive an,
radical-may we'll abide the situation
with respect to the tariff until eyi
dence now being accumulated shall
justify changes in the rates; an
that it is much better for them t
vote for Republicans than to he'll
create Democratic majority whic
would be utterly at war with tn
protective principle, and therefor
would have no use for the finding
nf }ha rife