Mexico weekly ledger., 1910-10-06

not approved By The Republican sen
ate. although twice submitted by Re
publican Presidents.
/ do not know that the Payne
Aidrich law specifically repeats this
reciprocity clause. but It might AZ
well do so II II does not. The Payne
Aldricn law, however. does authorize
the President. without the approval Of
the Senate, to increase the duties un'
that law 70 the extent Of 25 per
cent in order to encourage" com
merce with other countries.
Legislative influences
Apparently. the selfish beneiciaries
OF the tariff, adopting he familiar
plan often pursued with success at
the state capitals, postponed serious
effort in the larger and more popular
and less tractable branch Of the ma
tional Legislature to make the real
fight for their impudent demands in
the smaller and less popular and more
tractable branch. The Dill went over
to the Senate and we saw the amazing
process through which the Payne bill
became the Aldrich bill.
We saw the consensus of tariff opin-
ion OF the House beeome-what?
Why. II became the consensus OF
tariff opinion OF one man and that
one man the representative not mere
ly In the markets OF the country. but
in the chambers in which the coun-
try's legislative power is exercised OF
the big business that profits by tariffs.
The public has asked in vain that
the defenders OF the bill point to any
reduction upon articles ready for con-
sumption. Reductions were made in
the duties on food products which we
export OF on raw materials, such as
coal. iron ore. petroleum.. hides, OF
partly manufactured materials not
ready for consumption.
The changes in the iron and steel
schedule were the most numerous,
but we are exporters Of the articles
affected by those changes, and Mr..
Carnegie says that we need little or
no protection in this line anyway. AT
the same time an adroit revision OF
this schedule increased the duties on
structural steel and enabled the home
manufacturer thereof TO advance his
prices.
Tariff Breeds Trusts.
Such a tariff is a breeder Of trusts.
The domestic manufacturers in order
to reap the benefits Of the tariff must
destroy home competition and form
trusts for that purpose. There should
be no tariff whatever on trust man
ufactured products.
It seems, moreover, "indefensible"-
which adjective President Taft used
TO express his opinion Of the wooden
schedule-that there should be any
tariR on cotton goods. We are the
main producers OF the raw material
In that line, and fix the prices for the
whole world. DR.. Taussig Of Har-
ward university, one OF the highest
authorities on the tarle, says that
manufactured cotton goods have need
ed no protection since 1882. Clti-
lens OF the United States have in
vented the best cotton machinery
known. and are protected in the own
ershlp OF the patents thereof by the
patent laws Of this country, and by
u patent treaties with other coun-
tries.
"Tariff Law of 1909"
This tariff is generally known as
the Payne-Aldrich bill. 1t is called
the Payne-Aldrieh-Smoo bill by
Champ Clark, in honor CT the Utah
Senator, who assisted Senator Aldrich
in passing it through the Senate. II
is called q downward revision of the
tariff" by President Taft. 1t Is desig-
mated as the tariff OF 1909" by the
Republican State convention of Mis-
souri,, which seemed loath to call II
by the name Of its authors.
The Rhode Island Senator, Nelson
W. Aldrieh. is really entitled to the
honor or reputation Of having it called
by his name alone, as he was the mos
potential influence In It's creation
senator Burrows OF Michigan, lately
defeated for denomination by an in
surgent, once introduced Senator AL
drich to a Michigan audience by say
ing that whenever he wanted anything
done for Michigan he asked Senator
Aldrich, and he always got 1t. Al
the measure is, however indeed
painful to the Republican party al
well as to the American people. it Il
no doubt properly termed the Payne