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


MEN with long political memories will
A'4 find the Presidents abandonment OF
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
mtted for years to u 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.
MIR. Wilson himself. in his first message
to Congress, urged the lowering of all
duties to such a point as would put the
importer on the same level in the domes-
tic market as the domestic producer.
Eut now, in view Of what has hap
pcncd. since he entered office, hc is recon-
mend ng that "tha prejudice and passion
engendercd 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-
ton 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 "the 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 protectionist 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 eXpedent 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 q 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 a 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 arc in no condition to borrow
! more money with any hope of paying it,
There remains only the cXpedient 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
( 70 make imports possible ON such terms
as will permit the expansion Of inter
national trade. This means that there
must be careful study of the whole
rroblcm Of foreign trade with Il view to
the discovery of where it is cNpedient TO
apply the protective policy and where it
/ is cNpedent 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 reached the con-
! clusion in which others anticipated him
that the solution qfthe problem of the re-
! latons between labor and capital must be
! met by the creation of some sort of a
! tribunal for the settlement of disputes
/ without upsettng industrial peace. He
/ is not very definite in his recommends
/ tons, but he seems to be clear in his
conception of the ends to be accomplished.
/ The public is a party in interest in all
labor disputes. It's rights must be pro-
tected, and while the right of labor to
strike must be admitted, its right to in
terfere with the orderly conduct of bust
ness by men not involved in its contro-
vcrsies must be surrendered in the inter
/ csts 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
/ hlm on tneSe TWO important matters. 1t
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 General
Palmer's anti-sedition bill, which would
give to the courts power to interfere with
"the free expression of opinion" and with
"the advocacy of orderly political
change
i