Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-14
DEMOCRATS VEER
TO PROTECTION IN
TARIFF "PLANK"
"Anti-Dumping Law" APP
preaching G. O. P. Policy,
in A. Mitchell Palmer's
Rough Draft
APPROVED BY PRESIDENT
By EDMUND C. TAYLOR

ST LOUIS, June IA - The Democrats
| will 20 the limit to approach the protective
| tariff in their tariff plank, judging by the
draft of the plank as prepared by A.
| Mitchell Palmer, of Pennsylvania.
The rough draft of the plank was given
out today by Mr. Palmer just before the
convention opened 1t provides for an
'antidumping" law, which Is about the
nearest approach to a protective tariff law
possible and for a nonpartisan tariH COM
mission, which would report Its nndlngs
and make its recommendations to Congress.
''rhe tariff will be taken out of politics
as much as it is possible to do So said
Mr. Palmer He submitted the plank" to
President Wilson two weeks ago. and the
President approved the thought expressed
in it, The plank" follows
"We reaffirm our belief in the doctrine
of tariff for revenue only and unreserVedly
indorse the Underwood tariff law as truly
exemplifying that doctrine. All competi
tive tariff rates are necessarily subject TO
change to meet changing conditions IN the
worlds production and trade.
"Such changes should be made only after
careful investigation of the conditions at
home and abroad by nonpartisan tarir
commission, whose findings should be pre-
sented to Congress for appropriate action,
and the normal conditions OF fair COM
ducers should be maintained by an anti
dumping law which would keep the taritr
rates on a fairly competitive basis In times
of surplus production abroad.
"ANTI-DUMPING" PROVISION.
"Every manufacturer who appeared be-
fore the WAYS and Means Committee when
the Underwood law was passed declared
that he was not afraid of the foreign pro-
ducer in normal times" said Mr. Palmer
"He said that when there was big bust.
ness abroad the American producer could
take chances with the foreigners. Ihe
manufacturers declared that it was only
when times were bad and stocks large that
some protection was necessary. If they
were telling the truth then, as | believe
thew were, their troubles will soon be
stopped by an antidumping law and the
Tariff Commission
The antidumping law, explained Mr..
Palmer will act as governor to main
tain the normal conditions which the tarin
law was passed to meet When conditions
become abnormal, with surplus of produc-
tion abroad threatening to be dumped into
the markets of this country, the dumping
law will automatically concrease the tarin
on the goods, so that the tariff will take
the place of cut in prices by the foreign
producers.
TO MAINTAIN PROSPERITY
we are IN Inc lnluule OF very boOu lliilesi
he said Every producer is entirely
satisfied with present conditions. What
he wants to be assured of is that they will
be continued He wants to make certain
that changing conditions abroad, either
during the war or after the war, will not
endanger our markets. He is satisfied with
competitive tariff, which gives the
American producer and the foreign pro-
ducer an equal race.
such tariff we have now and the only
necessary thing to be done is to provide
some machinery for making possible
changed conditions in the future. We pro-
pose to establish a tariff commission of
experts, who will investigate markets
abroad and who will be able to predict the
method of competition with American pro-
ducers where conditions indicate unfair
or production abroad at such
a low cost as to imperil the present salts
factory prices at home.
"Thls board will recommend the neces-
sary changes, and Democratic Congress
will intellgently make changes as new con-
ditlons seem to require.