The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-12

| WASHINGTON. D. c.. May 1l.-lt the
; signs of the times do not fail, before the
! adjournment Of the approaching session
of the new Congress President wilson
! will be face TO face with the problem Oh
approving or vctoing n tariff Dill pear
! ing the names of Representative Joseph
! W. Fordncy Of Michigan. and Senator
Boise Pcnrosc Of Pennsylvania. 1noi-
cations are growing stronger daily mat
one of the first subjects which Congress
! will tackle is tho tariff. and the foruhcS-
| pcnrosc bill is the logical result.
: 1t is good business as we'll as GOOD
politics 10 pass a now tariff Dill al Inns
! time and the Republican majority IN
congress arc not going TO permit the OPP
| nortunity to slip. In the tacc or inc
| abnormal conditions which prevail AZ
| This ler:od. there arc. according 10
| statement made todny by Representa-
tive George. NJ. Bowers, OF West VIZ
ginia who Is slated 10 be member OIL
| the WAYS and means committee mat IS
/ 70 franc The now tariff. two Eood rcas-
| ons that exist for raising the tariff rates
aside from the economic theories OF
, protection and free trade.
Mr.. Bowers proceeded 10 explain
| them: -.
Tho first reason for cSactins higher
tariff rates than those prevailing Is inc
necessity for protecting tho American
market from an influx of forc!gn-made
chrap-labor goods which might nave
disastrous effect upon homo Industries
and Il tendency 10 force down wages 10
the foreign level. Production in Eng
land. France and Italy, not In mention
Germany. has been suspended Tor four
years, and now that the armies are be-
ing disbanded and mon are returning 10
tho rursuits Of peace n general re-
sumption Of industry In those countries
is 10 be expected. i market tor lhis
production must be found. and naturally
il will b.. sought in the country where
Tho pruplr hav" the most money. wh'cn
is tho United states. consequently uH-
less a tarif wall is erected during inc
period Of read iuSimCnt VIC may reason
ably anticipate tho dumping Of foreign
made goods in this country in enormous
quantities.
"Whcthcr it is called protection or
cxprdiency. or any emergency or any
. other name. tho fact Is apparent that
effective steps must BE- taken 10 prevent
the flooding Of tho American market
with foreign products if We are 10 con-
serve tho interests of American indus
try and maintain wages at high stand
ard. II may hc n rather bitter pill tor
FREQ traders or low-tarif advocates in
Congress tn vote for high-tariff rates.
hut i, should hc remembered that lite-
long enemies Of government ownership
in the House and senate voted for gov
rrnment control nf tho railroads and the
telegraph and telephone lines as cTh-
Urgency measures. and tried 10 look
pleasant while they did il. Practical
situations require tho Application or
practical measures. oven though econ
omic theories may hr Obliged 10 stand
in allegiance for n time.
THE second strong reason FOR rails
ing the tariff rites is the necessity Tor
increasing revenues. Congress already
is committed in the written law TO a re-
duction next year in the internal rev.
emo taxes Of IS 10 PR cent, and lead
crs in both parties arc urging that
every 7ossible further reduction In dl-
rect taxes be effected. But the t,xcd
charges in connection with the war
debt. together with the increased cost
of running the government which has
come with the. war. makes the raising
of a tremendous sum necessary. There
are limits below which Congress can
not 20 even with the strtetest economy,