Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-05-31

AN ECONOMIC ISSUE

When Judge Ebert II. Gary.
speaking before the Iron and
Steel Institute in New York, de
plored political tariff discussion
and pleaded for a high-grade non
partisan commission the reports
OF which would guide Legislation
he gave further expression to a
conviction that has gained au.
thority steadily since the first
nonlpartisan board was estab
lished during the Wilson admin
istration several years ago.
He voiced the view of the aver
age citizen when he referred t.
tariff revision as an intermittent
disease" The dilly-dallying OF
the present congress shows how
futile is the hope that politicians
ever will deal intelligently Will
this fundamentally economic is
sue. Politically made tariffs are
usually blindly made and often
SO tardy that the conditions in
tended to be met are passed be-
fore the bill becomes law. Eco
nomic facts, scientifically gather
ed and expertly analysed, should
govern our tariff policy.
: Judge Gary proposed con-
structive program. He suggests
that both parties shall agree on
principles providing for tariff for
joint revenue and protective pur-
poses. This done, he suggests
that there should be a commits
sion of we'll paid. high-minded, in
telligent, competent and non
partisan persons appointed. au
thorized to ascertain and COM
municate the facts and figures.
and their reports should be fire.
quent so that, if deemed neces-
sary, change or amendment to
the tariff laws could be made at
any time congress is in session.
Today the only political ques-,
ton involved is whether the tariff
shall be for protection of Ameri
lean industries as we'll as for rails.
ing of revenue. And the parties
are by no means unanimous even
in such a division as that, as evi
denced by President Wilson'S ad
vocacy to congress of legislation
TO protect the new American dive
stuffs industry.
Postwar world conditions did
much to shake both parties out
of their preconceived notions on
this score. The heavy balance
OF trade i'll favor of the United
States and the certainty that Eu-
rope could only pay her debt to
this country almost exclusively
in goods if at all. has held a warn
ing hand to those who would adj
vocate barriers that would inhibit
importations. AT the same time.
the threat of dumping" foreign
goods apon disordercd American
markets compelled many tariff
for revenue only" advocates to
admit that there are times when
this country should protect it
self.
Thus. today, sensible and far,
seeing men of both parties frank
ly admit that the problem is te.
establish a tariff plane that viii
serve the greatest good of tho
greatest number. and meet new
and ever-changing conditions at
home and abroad.
Obviously fair or sensible
tariff standard cannot be achiev-
ed or maintained as long as one
political party or administration
is obsessed by the idea that its
primary duty is to undo what
some other political party or ad-
ministration has done. And il
may be that the inability of the
present Overwhelmingly Repub-
lican congress to agree upon a |
tariff program will pave the way
to an understanding that til Ell
tariff is not party or even al
political issue.
The reason politicians of the
same allegiance cannot agreed