The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-12-28

pound. In South America tho cost
10 between 4 and s cents and IN Aus
tralia tho cost Is below 4 cents. Yet
the present duty on secured wool I'M
ported into the United States is 33
cents per pound, or nearly four times
tho entire cost Of production at
home. A scientific tariff would linn
1t this duty to 5 or 5 l-2 cents per
pound, for the producer would still
have the protection of higher costs
of transportation from foreign fields
II Is pointed out by the board that
thi sduty cffcctually prohibits the
importation of clean, low-priccd for
cign woods OF the lower grades which
would be exceedingly useful in the
manufacture of woollen products in
this country and would prevent in
large measure the use OF cheap sub
stitutes hat constitute almost a
fraud upon the consumer.
The board learns that tho manu-
Featuring charge for woollcn pro-
ducts In the United States is not cx-
ccssive, though inclined to believe
tho retailer an unreasona-
to consider that the retailer must
mako his profit on n much smaller
volume than the manufacturer.
AS showing the difference between
the work of the tariff board and the
hit-or-miss conglomerations put into
tariff laws by politicians, the board
recommends a system of duties ex-
actly the reverse of that adopted in
lthc Payne-Aldrich law, to-wit, a
combination specific and ad valorcm
duty on woollen cloths, Il low ad va
loren rate on cheap goods, increas-
ing to tho highest rate on extensive
goods. The Yayne-Aldrich law put
the groatcst duties on the cheaper
goods. a manifest injustice TO the
. men who has little.
, Again, the board points out the
w-ongfulness of ad valorem duties,
such as are generally used now. That
is to say, instead of making the duty
) a percentage of the value of the i'm
| ported goods, the board would make
1t a specific figure. AS the board
points out, the ad valorem system
increases the duty with an increase
: in the value of the goods. There,
fore, instead OF giving the consumer
g relief when prices arc high, the nc
) valorem tariff makes them higher
5 The tariff board has in this one re.
: port justified its existence and tull,
l warranted the long fight made b,
President Taft for its creation. If
after this report showing how utter
: ly u%nscientific and unjust have beer
: the methods OF matchmaking, con.
t gress still persists In favoring thu
hit-or-miss plan of assembling a 10,
i OF duties about which it knows mex
: to nothing, upon the suggestion o,
selfish interests, then 1t will be ul
s to tho voters to admonister some
sort Of discipline TO congress.
President Taft has been vindicat
I ed in his advocacy of commission
: made tariffs, or at least of tariff.
. based upon information obtained b,
commissions. This dispassionate
straightforward. informative discus
4. sion o. the tariff subject forms S,
: pleasing a contrast to the ordinar,
: political tariff talk in congress tina
: 1t ought to be received with applaus,
the whole country W. If anythin,
could justify Taft In vetoing tn,
woollen bin passed at the specia
session of congress, this report doc:
1t. And we beloeve the unprciu
diced observer will say that 1t ha
done so.
@->sSs
THE AGILITY AGAINST THE
i, WEAK.
: II our w politics is q, lime