The Washington times., 1911-07-24
LET THE TARIFF JOB BE FIN
ISHED QUICKLY.

There is one thing about tariff revis-
ion on which everybody can agree.
That is, that if there must be revision
'twere well 'twere done quickly.
1t is plain enough that there must be
revision. The Payne-Aldrich measure
has gained such an increment of unpop-
ularity that it is simply impossible to
conceive any political party carrying
the country next year on a promise of
anything less than effective downward
revision-a promise put so explicitly
that there can be no juggling or insin-
cerity about its execution.
If the revision business is not taken
up till after the Presidential election
that will mean that it will not begin
until the session of Congress next fol-
lowing the 4th of March, 1913. The
short session from December, 1912, to
March 4, 1913, could hardly be ex-
pected to do anything with it. Pre-
sumably a special session would be
called not later than April /, 1913, and
that would make 1918 a year of tariff
revision.
We have had the tariff with us con-
stantly since the political conventions
of 1908 promised revision. Business
has felt the effect of the uncertainty
throughout this entire period. If, then,
we are to have the issue kept alive
and agitated till the end of 1918, we will
have had just about five and one half
years of practically continuous agita-
tion. 1t will include the campaign of
1908, the special session of 1909, the
succeeding period of rising protest
against the results of that session, the
campaign of 1910 with its verdicts of
disapproval, the reciprocity debate of
1911, the campaign of 1912, and an
other tariff-making year in 1913.
1t is too much. The country wants
it ended. There is no need to have this
question with us forever Congress to-
day knows just as we'll what tlrr coun-
try wants as it will know after the
1912 election. 1t is just as we'll
equipped to do the work now as it will
be then. Such excuses as that of wait
ing for the tariff commission are hope |
lessly lame. The tariff commission as
now organized commands the confidence
of neither Congress nor the country,
because the law is not proper one
If revision is to wait till the tariff !
commission can guide it, we will have
a ten-year period of tariff uncertain
ties. A more ruinous experience for
the country could hardly be imagined.
As to the politics OF the situation,
the Democrats will make a mistake if
they refuse to go ahead now with the
business that plainly is demanded by
the country. They should be glad of
to 60 to the country next
year on a record of accomplished re-
vision; it would make them stronger
than a mere promise of revision to
come.
Likewise the Republicans should be
glad of opportunity now, before a
election, to get some of
their mistakes corrected.
There are bigger things than politics,
vastly more important things. The
country is bigger than any political
party; big enough to contain them ali.
Its interests should not be sacrificed
for the sake of political advantage.
The wool and the free list bills have
passed one house. The cotton and steel
measures are just behind them. Reci-
procity is out of the way. There is
lust one course that Congress can pur-
sue if it would command the country's
confidence. That is to push ahead with
clear the slate, give business
/ chance, and let politics take back
seat.