The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-06-24
Vice-Pres. Sherman's Tariff
Comment.

In conceding the necessity of oc-
easional revision of Tariff schedules
to meet changing conditions, he ex-
pressed the common sense opinion
that II can not and must not be as
suued that all future revision must
be downward. He justified this
view with citations of the ofhelal
figures showing increases in the
value of our imports under the
Payne. Aldrich law. These figures
are Interesting and very significant.
The value of imports so far in the
current fiscal year is, in round MUM
bers, $aoe,eoo, 900 greater than the
total value of such imports daring
the fiscal year of 1909. In his ana
lysls of the figures, showing increas
es under different schedules, the
vice president pointed out that cal
most the whole increase is in manu-
features eud for materials fsr use In
manufacturing, nine-tenths of which
could undoubtedly have been made
In this country" And he drove
home the logic of his contention
that Tevisions of the future should
be upward in some linea and not
downward in all, by saying of the
showing the figures make: "Fo
that textent thsn, American produc-
ton has been displaced, and at least
S2so, 900, 600 of American wages
paid to forelgnlaborers." In quot
ing the figures for March, showing
total imports larger tkan ever sho~a
in epy other month in the history OF
ourcommerce, he calculated that
such "A rate of increase, if it is to be
maintained, will soon show an ia
CTG&SS III tHC NdtAS VI WV -
import of $500, 900, ono year.
These figures are startling aadi
they,should stagger citizens whe,
, WHSLE adhering to thsg general pri@-
ciple of Protection &c a measure of
public policy, have been confused
by tae unstatistcal and empty
clamor that the Payne-Aldrich law
carciss that pr,nciple aad that policy
to an extreme. That it does not
carry it far enough in some lineE.
Mr.. Sherman mads it plain
thst it is already the best
revenue measure ever devised,
and that, in most of its Protective
schedules, it is affordiRg remunera-
tive employment to labor. If there
are Republicans going with the
Democrats on false and hollow
Tariff isGue this year, they mustsoon
be asking where they are "at," as
did thatfameus Alabama ,Democ-at
who wac once discussing Tariff
measure in Congress. For the
Democrats, having denounced
the Payne -Aldrich law for schedules
which they have claimed would
reduce cUStems revenues will not
hesitate TO say, when cu7tomS
revenues and other revenUes swell
treasury receipts to point where
ahe deficit Wal be wiped out and
surplus substituted, that Tarltts
should be reduced to get rid Of the
surplus. The fact that they have
denounced Protective Tariff as
reducer of revenues will not deter
the Democrats from wheeling about
face and shouting, with eqHal
vehemence, their old cry that low
Tariffs are needed to get rid OF
surplus revenues. But what would
then be the fix of any Republicans
who aight have gone with them'
That is the question Mr.. Sherman
did not try to answer. He present.
ed the case from the broad
American point of view. and more
effectively than if he had spoken
only as Republican and only to
Republicars.-Globe Democratic
Young Teddy Roosevelt was mar