The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-09
CAUTION USED IN
TARIFF REVISION
Democrats Appreciate Great
Responsibility Upon Them
FUTURE OF PARTY
Depends on Skill and Craftsmanship
Shown in Handling the Biggest
Question Now Confront
ing Nation
by C. f.. STEWART

Washington, January S.-fSpecial)-
Ipe ways and means committee of the
House began hearings on the tariff Mon
day. They win last for several weeks and
ample opportunity will be given the
American manufacturers TO be heard
Out of these hearings and the vast ac-
cumulation of data already before the
committee will grow the tariff bill, upon
which the democratic party must rest its
case with the voters of the country. The
trainers of the bill realize the Importance
of care and the necessity of avoiding
mistakes. If the bill fails to accomplish
what is hoped for it; if business depres-
sion and inactive industries follow in its
wake; If a deficit is created in the fed
eral treasury; If one-half the dismal fore
bodings of the republican politicians are
realized as result of its passage, il
will mean the failure of the Wilson adj
ministration and will sound the death
knel of proper tariff reform jim the
United States for years to come.
Abundance of Caution
The committee realizes all this and this
realization together with a thorough
knowledge of the task they have in hand
has developed an abundance of caution.
The chairman of the ways and means
committee has made study of the tariff
for many years, and he has studied 1t,
not from the standpoint of his district, but
from the standpoint of the country at
large. He enjoys the confidence of his
party, and moreover the confidence of the
business interests of the country, and for
hiG roo
await the outcome without fear of the
bugaboo of industrial upheayal prophesied
by the alarmists.
The tariff bill will be designed to create
revenue, and at the same time to reduce
insofar as possible the cost of the neces-
sites of life to the ultimate consumer 1t
may be safely said, now, that it will not
meet the most radical views of some of
the democratic statesmen; it will not meet
the views of some communities, but II is
believed by the leaders in the party who
are preparing it that 1t will redeem the
pledges of the Baltimore platform, and
that all branches of business will con-
tinue to prosper under its Administrations
and that it will so a long way toward re-
storing equity in prices of commodities to
the people.
In all probability there will be no free
sugar or wool. Both of these commodities
are huge revenue producers, particularly
sugar, and the production of revenue is
necessity, and the amount produced un-
der material change in the tariff a
theory. To put wool and sugar on the
free list, therefore. would take from the
government an immense revenue with no
absolute knowledge from what source it
could be made up. But there will be ma
terial reduction of the tariff on both
these important items; enough to bring
them to the ultimate consumer at lower
prices.
Will Go Before Caucus
Most of the democratic majority of the
present ways and means committee will
go into the next Congress, which is to
| convene In extra session between March
10 and early in April. When the hearings
are ended democrats of the committee will
devote themselves, in daily executive ses-
sions, to the formulation of the tentative
tariff legislation which they hope to have
ready March Is. If not earlier
The concrete result of their delibera-
tions, the new tariff rates from acids to
zinc, the expansion of the free list and
50 on, will be formally passed upon at a.
caucus OF the representatives of the new
House, to be called soon after the OPEN
ing of the extra session. This caucus will
determine whether the new tariff legisla-
ton viii be in the form of one bill or
separate measures, schedule by schedule
along the lines of the tariff procedure Of
the last session. when chemical, wool. cot
ton, iron and steel and free list bills went
through both Houses. but met with presi-
dental veto.
Chairman Underwood of the ways and
means committe and his associates are
! inclined to favor the same course as that
of the last session. BY that procedure 1t
Is urged by its advocates log rolling
or trading on rates on various articles af-
fecting different communities or districts
could be avoided