The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1913-07-26
UNITED STATES
next TO RUSSIA
If New Tariff Bill Passes It Will
Still Be Second High In
World
so SAYS SENATOR SIMMONS
Clyaims That Present Tariff Is Out
rageous Did Not Exist Until rs
Years Ago
so SAYS SENATOR SIMMONS

BY Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.
Washington, July 26-Even after
the pending tariff bill becomes a law
only one other country on earth
Russia-will be maintain tariff
rates higher than those of the Unied
States. This was the startling state
ment of Chairman Simmons, of the
Senate Finance Committee, in his an
|alysis of the bill. 1t makes the Re-
publican charge that the UnderwOod-
Simmons bill is a free-trad measure
look foolish.
Said Senator Simmons: II cannot
understand how the authors and
champions (of the Payne-Aldrich
law. . can denounce this bill
which. after all it's reductions
retains an average ad valorem of
over 26 per cent-an average higher
than any other country in the world
except Russia and possibly one other
can claim that this is free trade
bill, unless they mean that all the
world except Russia and ourselves
are at present on free-trade basis,
Our whole tariff history since the
Civil War is one Of legislative treach-
cry and duplicity and shameful be-
trayal of the people for the benefit
Of few. The tariff question as we
know it today-did not exist until
Is years ago. Prior to that time the
tariff rates, regarded then as high
but much lower than any rates we
have since known, were conceded to
be unjust and inexcusable, not only
by both political parties, but by the
very beneticiaries of the tariff, the
manufacturers But the influence of
the special interest has been strong
enough in. all these decades to thwart
the will of the people, until at last
the special privilege enjoyed by the
interests came to be regarded as vest
led rights, not only by them but by
a great number of the people,.
An examination of tariff history,
however, is sufficient to convince
that modern high tariff is an unright-
eous tax never contemplated by the
Legislators who first enacted high
tariff bill as war revenue measure.
Congress during the Civil War was
at it's wits end to provide funds to
keep the armies in the field. The re-
venues were derived principally from
emergency internal revenue taxation.
Manufacturers were required to pay
taxes on raw material, on their fin
ished product, and in some cases on
processes of manufacture. AS a re-
compense for this taxation, Congress
authorized prohibitive import duties,
which gave American manufacturers
the monopoly of the American mar
ket. - -. - =
After the war the special taxes on
manufacture: were abolished, and it
was assumed that the compensatory
tariff would also be repealed. But
here the insidious legislative influen-
ces entered the field, and the attempt
in 1859 to reduce duties ended in a
betrayal of the people. Freed from
internal taxation, the manufacture.
ers with monoplized market began
to grow rich, and they used all their
influences to prevent the loss of this
special privilege. Thus in law after
law the high rates were maintained
The people of all parties, however
believed that the tariff would some
day be reduced to the level maintain.
ed before the War. But in 1889, fol
lowing a low tariff message to Con.
gress from President Cleveland, Will
liam Mckinley, of Ohio, for the frs
time came out bodily for high protec
tion. The wealth of the country raj
lied to support him. High tariff be
came the Republican issue, and even
tually it put Mckinley in the White
House.
Chnun1 Enrrnfc