Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-12-21
AS TO THE TARIFF
NO NEED FOR BUSINESS INTER.
EsTS TO BE ALARMED.
Radical Changes Cannot Be Made,
Even Though the Democrats Con-
troll the Lower Branch of the
Congress.

1t Is OF vital Importance to the coun-
try that business men OF every section
and In all industries understand the
utter impossibility of radical changes
In the tariff for a long time to come.
NO changes, In fact, can be made ex-
cept by defenders of the principle of
protection to American industries.
Here is the truth about the tariff
situation:
Until March 4 there will be no
change whatever in the membership
OF either the senate or the house of
representatives. Until then the stu
alton will be exactly as 1t is now. ex.
cept that there will be a different and
wiser outlook on the part of some Of
the Republican leaders and their party
associates.
After March the newly-elected
congress will be in existence but not
In action before December. 1t can do
nothing until then except by the aid
OF President Taft, and 1t is entirely
out OF the question that he should
call the Democratic house together be-
fore the appointed time.
After the first Monday I'm December
the Democratic house will be at work
but with absolutely no chance Of doing
anything which could alter the duty
on any one of the thousands of items
in the tariff laws, unless the change
proposed met the approval of the Re-
publican majority in the senate and
President Taft. The extreme limit
II possible tariff changes will be the
extent OF the presidents willingness
to approve alterations In the existing
schedules.
That will be the situation until after
March 4. 1913. Two years and near
ly four months must elapse before
anything can happen to the tariff
which President Taft and the Repub-
hcan majority in the senate do not
want to happen. All talk of hostile
tarih action which would reach the
actual duties and alter the laws of the
United States. within the next two
years, is absolute folly and complete
ignorance.
Long before that period expires the
president and the Republican congress
still in power can and no doubt will
put the tariff commission at work
upon the only scientific attempt to re-
form the tariff which has ever been
made. There is ample time before
March to give the commission all the
authority and money it needs, and
then its position will be secure. what
ever the incoming house may desire
to do.
With such progress assured in the
direction of fair, enlightened. scien-
tific revision of the tariff, not all at
once and as the football of conflicting
political influences, but gradually and
on business basis, is it to be imag-
inged that any party will dare to go
before the country with plan of at
tack upon the protective tariff sys-
tenn? Is 1t believable that the leaders
of the Democratic organization will be
suicidal enough to fight the campaign
or 1912 with a program of free trade
or tariff for revenue only, when SCI
entific revision, the most reasonable
and just in the history of the country,
will be actually under way or plainly
In preparation?
There is no ground for fear OF near
or violent tariff changes. There is no
such cloud in the business sky.