The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-03-07

llenBtn OF time Wnlcn mas elapsed
lsince the last revision, and the
ohanges ofsconditions in various
Hines of production and commerce IA
1.-THE interval, rouse a general dread
Hest there be heavy increases of duty
In one quarter or deep cuts in an
lother; and. unhappily, a feeling has
widely prevailed, that the decision
where to make such increases and
cuts would be reached. not. by a
calm consideration of the merits OF
each case, but by log-rolling or
back-scratching process.
Such unsystematic ways OF
patching a tariff together open wide
the avenues for perjury and other
fraud. for special pleading. for ap-
lpeals to the most sordid political
motives, for the exercise of gross
tfavoritism and the wreaking of petty
revenges, and have given rise even
to charges of bribery and investiga-
lions shadowing the good repute of
! men high in the councils of the ma
ton. Us it pleasant reflection that
such an atmosphere is liable to con-
tInue surrounding our tariff legisla-
!, ton. indefinitely? sHs3s sf
what have we to OFFER as sub
stitute? a system which keeps al
/ ways at the disposal Of Congress.
and open to the people, chart OF
I the worlds producing activities,
corrected almost from day to day.
The changes noted in tie foreign
cost OF production of various COM
modities are doubtless individually
slight; in one case they may swing,
pendulum-like, little this way and
a little that, ending their agitation
at about the same point where it be-
gan. In another. there may be a
steady trend to one side for whole,
due to causes not difficult to dis
cover through the machinery OF the
tariff board; but by the time the d.
vergence has become 30 sfnarked and
Continued SO Ioifg as to ! make a
change in this schedule desirable,
everybody VIII be prepared for 1t
and can estimate 'Sust about how
much OF change it ought to be :
This eliminates the now customary
| shock Of surprise. Thus we have a
highly important part of the work
Of iaw-making' brought. down to an
1 almost automatic basis: at any
!. rate, We can always BE sure of an
automatte warning 81 = what had bet.
| ter be done; and If Congress- does
lhot do it, or the president iwithholds
his approval from tarifE amend-
tnent nanifestly right, the people
viii know where to place the Sresponsi-
bfrity !!'o At one stroke we can get
Erid Of Lotto etie old scandals
IaSout log-roliing andE% favoritism,
and the charges Of perjury and
bribery which were freely banded
between the parties in past times:
make our tariff changes gradual in
stead of precipitate, and partial In
stead of sweeping; and be able to
defend rate, when fixed. by show,
ing with substantial accuracy the
measure of protection 1t extends to
the home producer. Can any rea.
sonable citizen object to such log,
ical and self-consistent plan, as q
substitute for our present practice
of revising the tarlff by rule-ot,
thumb? ah' 'si- fetl''.s z
For very recent illustration
take the Payne tariff act. There hat
been a loud cry against it on the
part of public speakers and writer's
sometimes with causes and with a
|, fair motive, and sometimes for the
mere purpose oGstirring up the peo
pie by showing them only half the
!, facts Now, let us suppose tina,
! three years age. Sinstead OF having tc
!, depend wholly on newspaper alb
lolAaSlo Va LIC 6dL III 3, u lev
published speeches in Congress, ant
editorial comments which necessa
rily reflected the political or per
; sonal feeling OF such commentator
, the people at large had had within
easy reach a non-partisan bureau
OF Information from whose files the!
, could ascertain Just what the con
, dition of the iron and steel trades
the wool and wooden trades, and al
the rest. had been at the time o
the passage of the Dingley tariff &C
!, in 1897, and what changes had oc
!, Cured in them, in any part Of thu
: world, since then. They had pu
q the Republican party in power 70
> four years more. and had right Il
I hold 1t to account for carrying out
as well as was humanity possible, tn
1 .