Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-08
TARIFF COMMISSION NECESSARY
One of the Days Best Cartoons.
by FREDERIC }. HAskIx


II have chaneei NY mind bccdrss All
the circumstances Of the world have
changed
This was what President Wilson
wro;c TO Representative Claude Iiitchin,
majority leader OF the House. concern
ing tariff commission. The tariff
has always been a big issue in tn"
United states. and European condi-
tions bring home 10 all OF us the ne
cessity OF looking II over anew in the
light OF new Developments.
In our system OF government finance.
the tariff always occupies q position
OF pre-emincnt interest. whether tho
subject Is discussed from a political an
economic or a fiscal viewpoint.
misconceptions Upset hy wnr.
Fiscaily, every preconception OF the
usefulness OF the tariff as 4 revenue
producer has been upso, by the war
No matter whether high duties win
produce more revenue. as some con-
tend, or whether low duties By en-
couraging greater imports viii pro-
duce the greater revenue. as others as
sert. when the trade routes Of the
world are paralyAcd and there are no
imports. tariff revenues fail whether
the duties levied be great or small
Economically a reorganization is
necessary. becaus" changed world cir
cumstancca require a much broader ac-
counting Of the economic facts in
Volved. There was time when a
higher tariff. designed merely TO keep
out foreign competition and foster
home industry, was believed TO be all
that could be desired by the ccono-
msts. Now. however. the American
people are face TO face with "A COM
plcte REORGANIZATION Of all the business
OF all the world. In tariff making
hereafter 1t Till be an absolute neccs-
sits Cor Americans TO consider. not
only the economic effects OF their
tariffs upon their home Industries, but
also upon foreign trade conditions.
This vas forcshadowed In the prophetic
ut,crances OF President Mckinley near
~ a score OF years ago. but until the
actual melting OF all the worlds trade
in the caldron Of war. Il has been easy
to ignore certain great principles that
now cannot be blinkcd.
TariT In Always with Us.
Politically. the tariff Is always with
us. There is great deal of talk about
getting the tariff out OF politics. but
that is like 4 good deal %. talk on
other subjects--merely talk. As long
as the tariff remains a considerable
factor in the Federal revenue system
sit will continue 10 be in politics. The
very first business Of government is
necessarily to raise taxes. y govern
ment cannot exist without politics.
no taxation measure ever was con-
sidcrcd. or ever Will he considered ex-
cept with politics plainly in view.
Idle as 1t may be. then, to talk about
eliminating the tariff from politics, ii
nevertheless may he possible. as il is
undoubtedly desirable, 10 reduce the
political element In the consideration
of tariff matters to n minimum. There
ar" three ways in which this may he
accomplished. One, the most radical
and one that will not be considered
by anybod! at this time, is frankly
TO abandon the protective system and
follow the example OF Great britain
by the establishment of free trade.
That plan has not kept the tariff ont
OF politics in Great Britain absolutely,
tut il has gone far toward that end.
Both the other two methods involve
the establishment Of Il tariff commits
siou. one which is favored by those
whose views tend toward higher du-
ties and more complete protection is a
commission that would examine into
all the facts concerning the tariff, with
especial reference to asccrtaining the
difference in The cost Of production OF
particular commodities at home and
abroad, and after digesting the facts
would report to Congress Il complete
system of tariff schedules scientifically
worked out
Would Only Report Facts.
The other plan, favored by those
Whosc tendency is TO favor lower du-
ties and m approximation to n tariff
for revenue only. is a tariff commission
which would gather all the facts affect
ing the tariff, not only with respect
to difference in the cost of production
abroad and at home, but also with re-
spcct 10 the Influence of custom du-
ties on foreign trade, and would then
report the facts, without specific re-
concentrations for revising the schc-
dulc. TO Congress.
The Republican party is on record In
favor OF Il tariff commission. the cstab-
lishmcmt of such a commission was "A
cardinal plank in the Progressive plat,
form Of 1912. and now, under the lead
ership OF the President, the Democrats
have also taken up tho same demand
Under the circumstances. 1t would seem
that the establishment Of a tariff COM
mission was a foregone conclusion, but
as there are many distinctly different
things that might be established under
the comprehensive name Of tariff
commission, it would he better to wait
until Congress has acted before laying
any wagcrs.
When the commission is established
If il is, it does not follow that the
political content OF tho tariff dispu-
tation will be I'm any wise diminished,
There was a tariff commission back in
the days OF President Arthur that res