Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-03
Will SONS PLAN TO TAKE
THE TARIFF OUT OF POLITICS
II Consists in Swinging the Democratic
Party over to the Historical
RenublIcan Position


Republican Position
MEN with long political memories VIII
A'1 find the Presidents abandonment oil
the historical position of the Democratic
party on the tariff the most notable fea-
ture of his annual message to Congress.
The Democratic party has been com
mitted for years TO tariff for revenue
only with as much of an approximation
to free trade as was possible. Grover
Cleveland and other lights Of the party
have insisted that tariff for any other
purpose than revenue is unconstitutional.
Mr.. Wilson himself, in his first message
to Congress, urged the lowering Of all
duties to such point as would put the
importer on the same level in the domes-
tic market as the domestic producer.
But now, in view of what has hap
pcned since he entered office, he is recon-
mending that "thc prejudice and passion
engcndcred by decades Of controversy be-
tween two schools Of political and eco
nomic thought--the one believers in pro
lection of American industries, the other
believers in tariff for revenue only-must
be subordinated to the single considera-
tion of the public interest in the light OF
utterly changed conditions"
He goes so far as to recommend that
in tariff legislation special consideration
should be paid to "thc establishment of
the chemical and dyestuff industry in
America" and he suggests that this
establishment can be brought about by an
intelligent application of duties.
No protectionst could go any farther
than this in pointing out the eXpediency
of applying the policy of protection to an
existing condition. Events have forced
the leader of the opposition party to
come around to the historic Republican
position that the tariff is an cNpedient to
be used for assisting in the development
of industry here and that it should be
used to the limit when circumstances
justify it.
The necessity of modifying the tariff
laws to meet the conditions brought
about by the war has impressed itself on
every one who has given any thought to
the subject. This newspaper has been
urging it upon the attention of Con-
gress.
America has been changed from
debtor to a creditor nation since 1914.
We have brought back from Europe
nearly all of the American securities held
there We have lent about nine billion
dollars to various European nations. We
have exported goods in such enormous
quantities that the purchasers are put
to it TO find way to pay for them. AS
the President says, payment can be made
only in one of three ways-by shipment
of gold, by shipment of goods or by an
extension of credit.
We have so much gold already that we
could not absorb much more without dis
astrous consequences. The European
nations are in no condition TO borrow
more money with any hope of paying it.
There remains only the expedient of pay
ing in goods for what we shall continue
to send abroad and paying in goods the
interest on the loans already made to the
European nations.
The tariff laws must be so framed as
to make imports possible on such terms
as will permit the expansion of inter-
national trade. This means that there
must be a careful study of the whole
problem of foreign trade with view to
the discovery of where it is expedent to
apply the protective policy and where it
is expedent to modify it. If Mr. Wilson's
party will follow him the tariff will be
taken out of politics for many years to
come.
Mr.. Wilson has also Neached the con-
cusion in which others anticipated him
that the solution of the problem of the re-
lations between labor and capital must be
met by the creation of some sort of a
tribunal for the settlement of disputes
without upsetting industrial peace. He
is not very definite in his recommenda-
tons, but he seems to be clear in his
conception of the ends to be accomplished.
The public is party in interest in all
labor disputes. It's rights must be pro-
tected, and while 4he right of labor to
strike must be admitted, its right to in
terfere with the orderly conduct of bus-
ness by men not involved in its contro-
versies must be surrendered in the inter
ests of the rest of US.
He does not suggest the drafting of an
industrial code, but all that he says
points in this direction.
The best thought of the country is with
him on these two important matters. II
is with him also in the ends which he
seeks in his recommendations for relief
from the burden of high prices and for
the suppression of bolshevistic propa.
ganda, but there will be regret that the
methods he proposed do not seem more
adequate.
As to the suppression of bolshevism
! he says: "With the free expression OF
opinion and with the advocacy of orderly
political change, however fundamental
there must be no interference" but he
urges the passage of Attorney Genera
Palmer's anti-sedtion bill, which wouIc
give to the courts power to interfere will
| Htha free exnression of oninionD apJ iii