The Washington herald., 1911-02-12
TARIFF PLANS OF THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MAJORITY
AND THE MAN WHO WILL LEAD FIGHT FOR REVISION

sion of anybody. If we bring in a meas
ure revising the duties on wooden manu-
factures it will be fully explained to the
last detail. passed, and sent to the Sen
ate. The same methods will be followed
with each of the other bills as they come
along for discussion. Members OF Con-
gress will get all the facts. obscurities
will be made plain, and the country will
be thoroughly informed"
will the Ultimate consumer be asked
to state his Case?" | inquired.
The ultimate consumer. being a work
ingman of one sort or another. has
neither the time nor money for a jour-
ney to Washington. If he comes he shall
be heard. However. he is not likely to
come His protection rests wholly on the
industry. intelligence. and integrity OF his
Representative in Congress. The single
schedule plan OF tariff legislation will
tend to hold members OF Congress to the
obligations they owe their own people
and districts. including the ultimate con-
sumner. The opportunities for trading
Will be reduced. Wool. cotton, and iron
cannot get together and bargain with
lumber. coal. and crockprv Each bill
will be a separate and independent prop
oSition. 1t will hc debated inside and
outside OF Congress. The coal miner will
know how his Representative or Sem
ator voted on shoes and overals The
shoemaker will know how his legislat tive
agents in Washington voted on coats
hats. and calico.
Have the Democrats any ground for
believing they can change the present
tariff law between December Of this year
and the election for President in 1922"
I'm the Senate. of course. We shall
need Republican votes-insurgent votes.
TO be candid and definite. However
we shall not write the bill outside of
Democratic prinCipIeS-that is. We shall
not compromise with those Republicans
in the Senate who voted against or
talked against the Payne-AIdrich bill
There are various definitions. | know. of
a tariff laid for revenue. The great mass
OF Democrats understand that the duties
collected on foreign goods are necessary
for the support OF the government. and
that. incidentally. such duties give pro-
lection to American labor and capital
We emphasize revenue: the Republicans
emphasize the protective principle
Cotton Goods barred.
Both parties agree that there must be
revenue. Neither party believes in free
trade Some of the duties of the present
law. however. are so high as to make
importations impossible. and so they con-
travene our doctrine that all tariff taxes
are primarily for income. No more than
~ per cent of the cotton goods consumed
in this country is imported. The cotton
schedule. therefore. gives no support to
the government. 1t is exactly the same
with the schedule taxing foreign boots
and shoes. Cotton goods and boots and
shoes made in other countries are praC-
tiCally barred from our markets.
Speaking for myself. a tariff for rev
enue would be high enough to cover the
difference between the cost of prOduC-
tion in the United States and in foreign
countries That difference. we all know.
is caused by the higher standards OF
American wages. The Payne-AldriCh law
attempts and succeeds in many instances
in protecting the profits OF manufaC-
turcrs. We have no more right In morals
or in political economy to protect the
profits of manufacturers than we have
TO protect the profits II bankers and
GrOcers. When tariff taxes are 50 high
that importatiOnS cease, competition from
without is stopped. combinations are
formed within. and abnormal profits are
usually extOrted by the producers.
"A tariff fundamentally for revenue
would recognize the difference in the la
Dor cost of all articles made here and
abroad and halt right there. Then the
American manufacturers would be brought
face to face with competitors from the
other countries and price regulation
would ensue Inevitably Nor would the
he driven out Of business.
They are able. rrsnurCeful. and enter