Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-09
\ POLITICAL NIAKEsHIFT


the proper characterization of
the purpose of the tariff commission
bill introduced by Frank Doremus.
Mr.. Doremus is a Democrat from
Michigan, a strong protective State,
and chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Congressional Committee.
Section of his bill provides that
it shall be the duty of the commission,
in cooperation with the Federal
Trade Commission. to investigate "the
possibilities of establishing new in
dustries in the United States, and to
recommend to the Congress the en-
couragement of new industries in all
cases where natural conditions, in the
judgment of the commission, justify
the belief that such industries can be
made permanent"
Speculation is rife as to whether
this bill represents another eleventh
hour conversion for the purpose of
catching votes, or the first move on
the part of the Democratcy to align
itself with the Republican protective
policy. In either case, if the bill meets
with the approval of Democratic lead
ers, it puts the party where the Re-
publican party was in 1860, when, in
its platform, it declared, "That, while
providing revenue for the support of
the general government by duties upon
imports, sound policy requires such an
adjustment of these imposts as to en-
courage the development of the in
dustrial interests of the whole coun-
try" Such has substantially been the
policy of the Republicans ever since.
1t is common knowledge that the
Rainey bill for a tariff commission,
said to have been introduced at Presi-
dent Wilson's request, does not meet
with the approval of the business
world. This bill provides for the inves-
tigation of "aIl conditions, causes and
effects relating to unfair competition
of foreign industries with those of the
United States, including dumping"
The manufacturers of the country are
not content to rest their case on "un-
fair competition They demand ade-
quate protection. They foresee the
competition which they will have to
meet from the foreign combinations
and low wages of foreign workmen,
after the European war.
When the Underwood-Sim
tariff bill, the present law, was being
framed, both Representative Under
wood and Senator Simmons repeatedly
decared that there was not a line of
protection in the bill; that new in
dustries did not exist and that the
old, or established, industries were
quite able to take care of themselves,
without protective rates. 1t was to
be solely revenue measure. In one
respect they were right. The bill gave
no protection, except to certain South
crn interests, and as a revenue pro-
ducer it has been an absolute failure
Some people believe they now discern
an opportunity for the Democrats to
repudiate the Underwood law and en-
act in its place a bill, nominally for
greatly increased tariff revenues, but
which will in effect carry protective
rates, thereby placating the manufac-
turers who insist on protection and
thimble-rigging those who still ad-
here to the Democratic policy of a
tarin-for-r only.
The policy of the Democracy since
long before the Civil War has been
against protection to industries of any
kind, new or old. Such laws were
declared unconstitutional and the
taxation of the many for the bene-
ut of the few" The present change
of front, whether spurious or genuine
will not create confidence. No one
can ride two horses, going in opposite
directions, at the same time.