Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-05-09
FEATURES OF THE
new TARIFF BILL
Chairman UndeTwood'S Expla.
nation Of Measure.
REVENUE THE MAIN THING.


Bread, Sugar. Flour, Salt and Fish
Being Added, With Reduction on
Butter and Esss-Susar to Go on
Free List After Three Nears-Few
CHANCES In Lu~uries, and Such
Chances ss Are Made increase Ou-
tie.-lneomes Of Mere Than $4,000 to
Be Ts~es.
Here Is the explanation of the new
tariff bin as prepared by Chairman I'm
derwcod OF the house ways and means
committee, which framed the measures:
The present condition of the revenue
legislation at the United States is the
result az wears u adherence to the
protective TARA policy. This theory Is
the result ~ circumstances and in no
wy can ne said ~ he the choice Of
the people At the beginning OF the
eva war the l-a,;esi States found it.
&e.s ~ssA Nssis ether taxation than
.As. ~ s.aw revenue tariff. The I'M
.a-s. asss ,<scs:s,sl situation Of the war
ss-,s,s y,scs..ss,s<s Interested persons to
.acysNsss ss& s>aa:iuue high protective
duties ss& gAiS system Of high pro-
ssessssa sss eSSn maintained to the
r-sassa: tilae. except from 1894 10 1897,
when the Wilson tariff was in effect
1909 Revision.
The enactment OF tariff revision
measure iii 1919 was unavoidable po-
litically even from the viewpoint OF
hiSh p-otectionists The country de-
msnded OF the then dominant political
party modification of the extreme
tariff policy with which the country
was afflicted. but the expectation Of
redress through the act Of 1909 was
blasted. for that measure not only fail.
ed to give the desired relief. but made
many conditions even worse. The
rates Of duty on some commodities
were even advanced. due largely to re-
classifcations by which the real duties
were concealed. 1t is only natural.
therefore. that the deception imposed
on the people through the failure Of
the law Of 1909 to give needed relief
has become more and more irritating
to the people as the years have passed
by. This was evidenced by the po-
Ntical results Of the election Of 1910.
by which the Democratic party Sc
cured control Of the house Of repre-
sentauves. Following this a series Of
tariff bills were passed at the first ses-
sion Of the Sixty-second congress dur.
ing the summer Of 1911, which were
passed by congress and presented to
President Taft. only to be vetoed by
him.
impatient to obey the mandates Of
the people. congress during the winter
and spring Of 1912 repassed these with
other tariff revision measures, but the
fate was the same a. at the former ses-
sion. in that they met the prompt veto
OF the executive. Then came the cleo.
ton Of 1912, which gave the Demo
cratic party q sweeping victory at the
polls and turned over to them the ma.
chinery necessary to effect tariff legis-
lation ana placed upon them the re-
sponsibility Of revising the tariff down.
ward In accordance with the urgent
and repeated demands Of the public.
The committee has given very careful
consideration during the last two years
10 the economic conditions throughout
this and other countries. has studied
every phase Of the tariff a. related to
our economic conditions, and the bill
which It now presents to the house is
IT. Interpretation Of the responsibilities
placed upon 1t by the people in the
matter Of revising the present tariff d.
ties and also its views Of a tariff re-
vised to a basis Of legitimate competi-
ton. such as will afford a wholesome
influence on our commerce, bring relief
to the people in the matter Of the high
cost Of living and at the same time
work no detriment to properly conduct
ed manufacturing industries.
Theory Of q Competitive Tariff.
The dividing line between the posi-
lions Of the two great parties on this
question is very clear and easily as
certained in theory Where the. tariff
rates balance the difference in cost Of
production at home and abroad, includ-
ing an allowance for the difference in
freight rates. the tariff must be COM
petitive, and from that point down
ward to the lowest tariff that can be
levied will continue to be competitive
to a greater or less extent. Where
competition is not interfered with by
levying the tax above the highest COM
petitive point the profits Of the manu-.
facturer are not protected. On the 9th
er hand, when the duties levied at the
custom house are high enough to allow
the American, manufacturer to make q
profit before his competitor can enter
the field, we have invaded the domain
Of the protection Of profits. In the
committees judgment the protection OF
any profit must Of necessity have q
tendency to destroy competition and
create monopoly, whether the profit
protected is reasonable or unreason
able.
Which course is the wiser one fol
our government to take? The one that
demands the protection Of profits, the
continued policy Of dollhouse growth
for our industries, the stagnation Of de
velopment that follows where compe
tition ceases, or, on the other hand
the gradual reduction Of our tariff t
Z oasis where the American manufac-
turer must meet honest competition;
where he must develop his business
along the best and most economic
lines; where, when he fights at home
to control his market. he is forging
the way in the economic development
Of his business to extend his trade in
the markets Of the world. The future
growth Of our great industries lies be-
vnnd the ReaS