Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-22
TUESDAY, JUNE %. 1920.
Evening Yesterday l4lU4
Tariff Issue Again Eliminated.


A notable and significant feature of
the pending national political campaign
is that the protective tariff will not be one
of the leading issues. For the second time
during the more than century of pro-
tective tariff consideration in this country,
il will find no prominent place in party
platforms and partisan discussion. In q
word, it has been eliminated. Protective
tariff benehciaries may regret its de-
parture, but there Is no doubt OF the exist
enoe of general belief that in its time II
was far more an unjust exercise of the
taxing power of the government for the
advancement of private interests and the
enhancement of private gain than an ele-
ment of value in the industrial prosperity
Of the country or benefit to the great
army of workers
The tariff rs an issue Of political cam
paigns was eliminated during the adj
ministration Of President James k. Polk
by the passage of the Walker Tariff bill,
in 1916 This measure was prepared by
Robert ]. Walker, then Secretary Of the
Treasury, from whom IL derived its name.
1t was void of especial protective features,
being designed as purely revenue meas
ure. and its operations were very success
full During its reign the Mexican War
was fought and the country passed through
tFSt period Of wonderful prosperity, the
decade Of 1S5o-60, when industry and
wealth increased TO greater proportion
ate extent than during any other decade
since the formation of the government,
with the exception Of that of l900-l0
With the Walker Tariff law the pro-
tective tariff departed from the platforms
Of the political parties, not TO appear for
more than thirty years, although the exi-
gencies of the Civil War led to 8 revision
az tariff duties, under the Morrill, law,
with the purpose OF raising more revenues.
II was not until 1880 that the protective
tariff once more became dominant issue,
and il continued, with little intermission,
until recent wears. The Wilson Tariff
law, under the second Cleveland ad
ministration, measure of moderate re-
duction, was quickly repealed, as the
financial panic that prevailed early IN that
administration. due entirely to the silver
imitation legislation Of previous Republi
can Congress, scared the people into at
tributing the evils to the tariff changes
Then came the Mckinley Tariff law and
the Payne law, under which tariff bene-
fciaries prospered enormously at the ex-
pense OF the people.
Under the Wilson administration came
the Underwood Tariff law, which remains
today, without material change. It also
is revenue tariff measure, as was the
Walker Tariff law, and like the latter has
operated SO successfully as to eliminate
the protective tariff from the field of parti-
san political contention. This year, for
the first time since 1880, earnest advocacy
of the protective tariff is not included in a
Republican national platform, the de-
liverance Of the Chicago convention on
this subject being as follows: "The Re
publican party reafhrms its belief in the |
protective principle. and pledges itself to a |
revision of the tariff as soon as conditions |
shall make it necessary for the preserva-
tion of the home market for American |
labor, agriculture and industry" This lie
very cool and formal and much like @ |
tribute TO dear departed friend. II is not |
believed a complete Republican national |
would dare return to the /
protective tariff as it prevailed years ago.
the easy opportunity it |
afforded Of 'frying the fat out of the pro-
tected manufacturer" for the enrich /
ment of the party's national campaign
funds Thus, the Wilson administration, /
among its many notable accomplish
nents, has duplicated the Polk administra-
ton in removing the protective tariff as q
political issue in this country.