The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1917-05-04
rARIrF CHANGES LIKELY

duties will play In sustaining the
cost OF the war Ia n subject that
has begun to assume good deal OF
Importance. II had not been sup
posed originally that the tariff would
figure largely In the programme. How
ever; as sources OF revenue began
TO be considered and prssed In re
view, a number OF duties were sug-
gcsted In various quarters; among
the familiar proposal Of tariffs on
tea; coffee, bananas and other pro-
duets not native to this country.
Then II was suggested that there
we're a good many articles subject
only to very low rates that could be
paying considerably more taxes
Thus In some minds the Idea OF
Tarlff changes become positively nc
copied
Idea Of General Increase.
The notion OF Taiiff revision as
an element In the revenue plans has
developed further In the thought OF
business men than that Of members
OF congress. Lately II has been sug-
gested In influential commercial
quarters that Congress simply adj
vance all rates by fiat ten per cent.
This would apply to articles on the
free list as we'll as others. so that
such items would be taxed 10 per
cent hat,Tho proposal Ia urged on
the ground that II Is much simpler
than the idea OF putting duties on
selected commodities. Probably also
II would be easier to enact because
II would be acceptable to some pro-
tectlye advocates II In also urged
that the plan would ralae much more
revenue than any scheme for duties,
lnasmuch as almost all articles now
dutlable would bear ten per cent
advance without losing In productive
nesp: while many; II not most; would
Yield more revenue In proportion. All
this; Of course; Is the familiar line
Of argument In favor of Nat tarlff
Increases that has been often urged
In behalf Of similar proposals In the
past. or course II Is seen that the
opposing arguments are equally
cogent; as for example the lack of
adjustments that Is always associated
with any horizontal Of fat Increase.
This naturally suggests the Idea OF
adjusting the new rates according TO
requirements
Question Of Adjusted Rates.
II Is recognized that as soon as
the notion OF rate adjustments Is adj
mitted In any form; the whole Tariff
question IL laid open and the leglsla-
tors in charge are fairly launched
once more upon the familiar lines OF
debate There is some argument, u
few at least believe; for such more
general Tariff action; however. Little
doubt is entertained that one feature
Of the new revenue programme In
TO be series Of Internal revenue
taxes upon various articles Of con-
sumption. Such n plan has been out
lined by various Of the leaders and Ia
the scheme that has been adopted In
former times Of stress During the
Civil War such duties were numerous
and heavy. When large list OF
such taxes IN adopted the argument
In favor Of tho readIustment Of the
tariff to OBJECT them; so that domes-
tic manufacturer may get his old
protection tequal 10 what he had
when untaxedl becomes stronger II
was by rcsorting to this plan during
the civil War that Tariff rates were
worked up to so high a point When
the war was over the Internal taxes
were taken on; but the tariff was
retained, and th1s the basis was laid
for present duucs But; at the time
tho existence Of the Internal taxes
afforded some ground for putting du-
tics up a good deal
Problem Of the tariff.
To attempt any such revision OF
the Tariff today would undoubtedly
be- quite dlstasteful to many in Con-
gress and elsewhere Unprejudlced
consideration OF rates could not be
obtained under present conditions;
and relations with foreign countries
are, OF course. all unstable and I'M
certain. This latter fact almost In
sures the necessity OF general tariff
revision as soon as the war Is over,
so that what might be done now
would be temporary in any event.
The new tariff commission has not
been able as yet to complete It's or
ganlzatlon and begin rerIous work;
and what It might be able do would
be largely consultative merely. Many
other subjects OF course are pressing
for attention. This; in the opinion OF