The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-01-04
EDITORIAL NOTES
BY j. I'D. WATSON

VISION downward OF schedule X IN accord with
the protective principle and present the data
as to relative cost and prices from which may
be determined what rates will fairly equalize
the difference in production costs. [ recon-
mend such revision to be proceeded with at
once. From President Taft's message to
Congress on wool schedule.
When Mr. Taft vetoed the wooden reduction
passed by Congress last August, it was on the
ground that he was waiting for the report of
his Tariff Board-a Board made up of experts
who were investigating the difference in the
cost Of manufacture here and abroad-a
Board that would furnish Congress accurate
figures ON which to make a scientific reduc-
tion-the reduction that Congress had made
was too much guess work and we must wait
until the experts gave us the correct figures.
The Tariff Boards reports does not recon-
mend any specific reduction-it is mass of
data, which Congress already possesses, pre-
sented to Congress- and from this data Con-
gress must do its own figuring.
In his message to Congress on the Tariff
Boards report the President does not recon-
mend any rates-he simply puts the whole
thing up to Congress in the same shape that
it was when Congress reduced the wool sched
ule and Mr.. Taft vetoed it,
Neither Mr. Taft nor his Tariff Board sue.-
protection and no more such as he declared
In his veto message Of Aug. II to be essential
Mr. Taft simply asks Congress to do again
that which he said was wrong last summer,
when he sent his veto messag e to Congress-
he had delayed giving the people relief from
what he himself has denounced as indefensi-
ble
From statements made by Mr. Taft the i'm
preston IS gotten that Mr.. Taft will insist ON
tariff that will guarantee profit to the
manufacturer-he will insist that enough dutv
be added to insure the American manufacturer
profit after the difference in cost of manu-
facture here and abroad has been added
This Will likely bring about a clash between
the PRESIDENT and the Democratic leader of the
House, MIR. Underwood Mr.. Underwood. in
replying to Mr.. Tafts views, has already de-
clared that 'there is no more reason or Justice
IN the government attempting to protect the
profits OF the manufacturers and producers of
this country than there would be to protect
the profits Of the merchants or LAWYERS. the
bankers or farmers, or the wages of laboring
men, 10 protect profits of necessity~s to pro-
tect ineficiency"
A tariff that will guarantee a profit to the
manufacturers and producers is protection to
eXtortlon, monopoly and greed-it would be
just about the same as the present Payne
Aldrich tariff that is robbing the poor, and
beneftting the rich manufacturer
Mr.. Underwood will not surrender to Mr..
Taft, and it remains to be seen whether or not
Mr.. Taft will stand out for his whether
he will again veto measure remedying that
which he has denounced as indefensible-
whether he will again indorse the Payne
Aldrich tariff that he has denounced by
vetoing tariff that will give the people relief
from it-whether he will again discredit his
party and make its defeat certain as we'll as