Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-09-17


and, in August, 1909, the Payne tariff
bill was enacted into law. Certainly
it was not satisfactory to everybody
, but in that respect it differed from
no other like measure. 1t was franz
ed exactly as other tariff laws The
importers submitted their views be-
fore the important ways and means
committee, the manufacturers OF the
country expressed their views and
after weighing such facts, the major
ity of the committee reported the bill
to the Congress. 1t was not per-
feet tariff law. 1t was never claimed
to be all that could be desired. No
tariff law has ever approached this
greatly to be wished for goal. But
it has made substantial reductions in
many schedules 1t greatly increased
the free list. And it has served a
very important purpose-a fact which
the detractors of the President and of
the Republican majority that passed
it, have failed to notice---it has con-
verted the $5S,000.000 deficit into a
surplus of $36,O00,0O0 at the end of
the last fiscal year, and no American
| industry has been crippled nor has a
single American Workingman been
| thrown out of employment by reason
of its enactment.
The methods by which tariff laws
are formed in this country impress
ed President Taft as being entirely
unscientiffc and unreliable. He un-
derstood that the information receiv-
ed was apt to be inaccurate and
misleading. And so he wisely rec
commended to Congress the formation
of a non-partisan tariff board whose
duty it would be to investigate the
cost Of any given commodity both at
home and abroad. Thus it was ex-
pected that an adequate measure of
protection to American industries
and labor might be given, based up
on the difference in the cost of pro-
duction at home and abroad plus a
reasonable and fair profit for the
home manufacturer. The entire
country approved the idea for the
formation of tariff board. It was
at once recognized that here was the
plan which would come nearer to
giving the country meritOrious tar
if law, and honest and complete
protection for American industries
that needed such protection, without
undue burdens on the people. Even
Theodore Roosevelt himself com
mended the position of President
Taft in this regard for he said in a
speech in Sioux City, Iowa, Sept 80, |
1910:
IT was particularly pleased with |
what the President (TafD said in his |
letter on the subject of the tariff com
mission. A number of senators and |
congressman have for number of
years advocated this as the proper
method of dealing with the tariff, and
| am glad that the country now seems
awakened to the idea that a tariff
commission offers the only solution
of the problem which is both rational
and insures the absence of jobbery.
The President (Taft) from the begin
ming advocated this commission"
Thus we have the expert authority
of the former preident on the sub
ject which should admit of no sue
cessful controversy. Roosevelt show
ed his belief in a tariff board by in
a plank favoring it in his
Progressive party platform. Yet
President Taft was the first chief eX-
ecutive to publicly advocate and to
secure the creation of such a reform
The Democratic party, however,
does not believe in a protective tar
ff. The leaders of that party have
often reiterated the assertion that the
tariff is a tax and their contention
For a tariff for revenue only is well
known. The Democratic majority in
congress has attempted to abolish the
.arif board, but The Observer does
1Ot believe that the country gener-
lilly is ready to accept expert opinion I
rom the Democratic party in rela-
ion to the proper method of hand I
ing this question. Their former ef- ,
orts at tariff tinkering is still fresh ,
n the minds of the present genera
ion the panic of "a hasn't entirely :
,een forgotten. ,
No administration in history has I
ccomplished so much good for the ,
'enetit Of all the people as has that :
# President Taft In support Of this :
declaration we have only to look
bout us and behold the uncXamDled q
on every hand. Never be- +
ore i'm the history of the Jnite6 +
tates have conditions been as prom :
sing as at present The farmer re- .
elves higher price for the pro- n
uce he has to sell, and the WAGE a
'orker is earning more money for +
horter hours of labor than ever be h
ore i'm his life. Capital Is being q
rohtably invested, new railway lines n
re rapidly developing the frontier n
and even, body has more r
honey i'm their jeans than ever be- -
ore r
What's the matter with this coun- +,
~, anyway? l.
Nothing. g
And the only cloud on the horizon il
the effort of the outs" to get in q
'hich aspiration will be defeated by
ne voters of this country next No +,
emher. We cannot afford to disturb :,
resent satisfactory conditions merely II
, experiment f,