Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-03-06
Democrats Acknowledge Tariff Err

Democrats Acknowledge Tariff Error.
Democrats in Congress are reluctant.
ly acknowledging the error Of their
policies on the tariff question. It is
confidently expected that the PROPOSE
tion to repeal the free sugar clause will
receive favorable treatment at the
hands Of all Democrats and Of course.
being Republican in principle. 1t will
have Republican backing. The Demo-
crats-freetraders and 'revenuers"
alike-admit that the Underwood
tariff law is failure. AS a
revenue producer it has broken
down. and it's free trade pro-
visions have broken up business. A
canvass Of the House indicates that
there is not a Democrat in Congress to-
day who does not believe that we must
have new tariff law, but no two DEM
ocrats agree as to what kind of tar
iff law we should have. They are all
up in the air. and comparing one hum
dred views with one hundred others
they are confessedly incapable of legis-
lating on the tariff
A catch all' bill which is to be
brought in by the Ways and Means
Committee is reported to contain at
least four measures of legislation; the
tariff commission, a provision against
anti dumping, dye stuffs tariff and a
revision of the income tax law. The
bill will be spring drive" measure.
The idea is to dispose of all aggravat-
ing revenue legislation in gross. 1t
is realized by Democratic leaders in the
House that If certain of these bills were
to be brought in separately they would
meet with Democratic opposition suffic-
lent to endanger their passage. Hence,
promises to be Republican in principle.
this Incorporation under one bill. for
the purpose of et-off and compromise
This four-ply bill, as introduced,
except in the income tax revision.
The recent Supreme Court decision
on the income tax law is to be made
the basis for the raising Of additional
revenue to an extent variously esti-
mated by Democrats at from one hum
dred to two hundred millions of dollars.
1t is a tax on individual efficiency. 1t
is a direct tax. The Republican idea
of taxation is to levy it at our ports
a protective tariff-an indirect tax
which is not felt by the ultimate con-
sumer" and which serves the double
purpose of protecting American indus
tries and of raising sufficient revenue
to run the American government.
The Republicans are on record for a
tariff board, or commission to gather
trade statistics to be presented to Con-
gress for legislative consideration
President Wilson is an 1lth-hour con-
Vert to the tariff commission idea and
neither he nor anybody else knows
wants. The Republicans are for pro-
tective tariff which will take care Of
European UndersellnS and be the best
assurance against dumping in our mar
kets. And Republican congressman
has drafted the provisions of the dye
stuffs tariff.
What fate this political makeshift
will meet in the Senate it is impossi-
ble to tell. but it will probably be
dubbed through the House. 1t is quite
apparently a bid for votes-a cam
paign bill. 1t cannot fail to be
carbled and unintelligible measure, and
it is not sincere. 1t will remain on the
statute books until 1917. when Republi-
can legislation will render it nothing
but a memory of Democratic opportun-
ism and incompetency.