West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-11-25
The Tariff

contemporary, Inc MAIL. IeeA that IL
must engage In some verbal attack on
the tariff or some other question and
thereby at least give some outward
manifestation Of the fact that it is
alive and that II is a Republican pa
per, both facts sometimes being I'm dis
pute.
Entertaining this thought II piunges
Its pen into ink and after the product
Is finished It says:
Sure / am a Republican. II you
don't believe It read this editorial"
Thus the space Of probably a col
umn Is devoted to putting kimona
or mother hubbard on the tariff doll.
since that Is the only inanimate thing
about and which will not object or
sue for libel. We rather think that
the outbreak Of a few days ago called
Facts and The Tariff" was a kimona.
because 1t covered everything but
touched nothing.
These tariff. Mexico and foreign pol
icy editorials in the Mail prove good
substitutes for expressions on more
worthy things. such as trying to slim
ulate prosperity OF the city and state.
"A fair trial has convinced a num-
Der OF leading Democrats that the
Underwood law is a failure" says the
Mail
II the Mail thinks the law had a fair
trial under worldwide conditions as
they exist now, due to the European
war. the argument is ended. But The
Gazette disputes this, has no way OF
proving to the contrary but has rs
much ground for the claim that IL is
not failure as the Mail for the ex-
travagant statement that 1t is, the in
formation based for such argument
being deficit in the treasury.
A discussion Of the tariff would con-
sumo pages instead OF paragraphs,
but 1t can be dismissed with the state
ment that 1t is the one and only argu-
ment left for the Republican party on
which to make an argument, and this
argument will be an appeal to only
those who are hungry, who then will
accept the brief as the truth when II
is only half truth.
1t will be difficult for the Republi-
can party ever to pass high tariff
bill, and there are many who doubt
that an attempt will be made, and
when conditions become again normal
the present law we believe will sup
ply sufficient revenue, and IL not. the
tariff bill that takes its place, wheth-
er drafted by Congress or by a tarifl
board, will be more nearly the present
bill than the old Payne-Aldrich tarifl
| measure.
On this opinion we stand and, as the
whole thing cannot be settled b,
words, The Gazette is willing to leave
even this matter to posterity.
Years ago 1t was an accepted fac
that the question of the tariff was 6
local Issue. West Virginia, of course
wants a tariff on coal; Louisiana
wants tariff on sugar; North Caro-
lima expects a duty on lumber becaus,
or its vast areas Of long leaf pine
the farmers want a duty on farm pro
ducts because they fear Holland anC
New Zealand butter, and Canadian
wheat and eggs; and Pennsylyani,
wants tariff on everything becaus,
1t is here that the sacred COW Of pro
lection browses and where II is milk
ed by Republican politicians who act
ually gallop into Office on this old ami
NAL.
The Mail is of the opinion that thu
next Congress will attempt to revls
the tariff. We don't know whether 1
will or not but we do know that Their
will be no characterization of the meas
ure because fundamentally It is good.
The cry OF protection for infant in
dustries Is an amusing one, when on
considers that such infants" as tn
United States Steel Corporation an
other combinations have recent
proved themselves capable of compe
tition with the entire world with NJ
so-called protection. 1t is a sort O
an indictment against the manage
ment OF an industry when 1t canno
compete with the world without ali
from the government. which almos
assumes the form of q subsidy.
II sufficient protection was offere,
we could go to Maine and raise ba
nanas in hot house in the white
time. but the price would be prohibi
tive and a peel would be hande,
down from generation to generation
as a legacy. while bananas grown fl
the Vest Indies would rot on tn
trees because Sf the en9rt to protec
the individual grower.
The tariff as an issue is almost II
comotose condition but IL still serve,
as material for partisan editors who
thus prove their consistency and their
membership I'm the Republican party
Charleston Gazette.
f
Preston County Agricultural Exten.