The Detroit times., 1911-08-14
TARIFF REVISION
TO Be BIC ISSUE
IN CAMPAIGN
Two Rings Of Republicans and Dem
ocrats Will Fight Battle on
Customs All Want
Lower Rates.
Taft and Progressives Differ on
Value of Work Done by Newly
Created Board. a-s.-


Washington to the Tribune:
ION the eve of the presidential NOM
nation campaign, the tariff has be-
came an Issue between the president
and the regular Republicans, Senator
LaFoIlette and the progressive Repuo-
licans. and the Democrats,
The president Is In favor OF re-
vision downward. but will veto the
tariff bills which will be presented TO
him this week because. in his judg-
ment. they are based upon insufficient
expert information and because, by
waiting a few months. congress will
be equipped, through reports of the
tariff board, to make scientific and ex-
act changes in duties.
Senator LaFollette holds that II IL
the duty OF the president and con-
gress TO give the people relief from the
iniquities OF the Aldrich law at the
earliest possible moment. Because OF
the weakness and imperfection OF the
law authorizing the tariff board, he
realizes the difaculties which have be
set that board In getting exact and re-
liable data
but the bills he has advocated In
connection with the wool and cotton
schedules were scientifically prepared
upon information supplied by experts.
at least TO the extent OF making II safe
for congress to reduce the duties with
out fear Of crossing the line measur-
Ing the difference I'm the cost OF pro-
duction at home and abroad.
Finally, Mr.. LaFollette points out
that while the regular Republicans are
offering no objection 10 revision at
this time because they anticipate q
tariff veto. they will not be 30 Quies-
cent with the next session, when there
will be no excuse for delay.
I'm other words, he urges that the
present opportunity be seized and IL
the tariff boards reports should show
the advisability of further changes
they can be made a. the next session.
The Democrats are committed to
immediate tariff revision In accord
ance with their national platform and
the will OF the people as shown In the
last congressional elections.
They claim they have utilized all
the statistical data available I'm con-
nection with wool, cotton, and the
free list bills, and suggest that the re.
ports of the tariff board may not be
complete, since its position appears
to be that II, In conference with and
under the sole control of the presi.
dent. shall be the sole judges as to
what part OF the data II collects may
be likely to be OF service for pur.
poses Of legislation.
Representative Underwood says II
IL not impossible that there may be
some such delay In the communication
to congress OF statistical data collect
cd by the tariff board concerning wool
and wooden goods as there was In
communicating to congress or making
public the data collected by the bu-
reau Of corporations concerning in
designations OF the steel and other In
dustries.
Senator LaFollette thus describes
the wool schedule:
1T 10 my Judgment that there
are no more Ubiquitous. no more
indefensible. no more harmful pro-
y visions In all the tariff law than
those contained in schedule X.
The mill men and the wool grow
ers constructed law, the terms
OF which are so complicated, so
devious and obscure that within
its windings and turnings- CON-
prehension and criticism are lost.
They contrived mixture, 4.
blend OF duties, compensatory and
protective. specific and ad valor-
EN-, so compounded In mysterious
proportions, equivalents, and
equivocations as to make the log
arithms in trigonometry q simple
pastfme in comparison. They
based duties upon false claims as
ITO some Of the terms OF their for
mulae and equations.
I'm view OF this situation and in
view of the realization OF the country
that schedule X II bad and indefens-
ible, Mr.. LaFollette insists Il Is the
duty OF the president and congress
to engage In revision at once.
Why pereptuate recognized evil
Any longer than IL necessary? he asks
The duties are enormously excessive
and heavy cut in them will injure
no legitimate industry. And this cut,
he holds, can be made without In.
fringement Of the Republican prin-
ciple OF tariff revision. In the wool
bill he introduced In the senate, he
measured the difference in the cost
OF production at home and abroad ut
100 per cent--an ample protection for
iabor--and yet enormously reduced
the duties. In the further reductions
he made to meet Democratic demands
he still maintained large margin for
labor. -
Although Il has been established
that the difference IN the cost OF pro-
duction OF cotton as well as wooden
goods at home and abroad is only
about 20 per cent, Mr.. LaFollette. In
the preparation Of his cotton revision
bill. made a tremendous reduction in
duties and still gave labor 100 per
cent protection.
Under the circumstances he does
not understand why there should be
any effort TO postpone action. ---
III proposing reductions Mr.. La
Toilette has not been unmlndfI1 of
the fact that the tariff board is AT
work and will report at the begin.
ming OF the next session; but even n
ifa data should be available az tn,
next session with the senate Repub-
lican and the house Democratic. the
mnffer may be discussed for years
and no tariff revision result
III the board does its work with
the care and thoroughness the sub.
tecf demands. e n possible congress
viii be iii a position 20 make a moro
thorough and scientific revision. But