Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-29

dent exponent and through the in
fluence of his position as secre-
tary of the treasury a able to
impress his opinions upon tariff
legislation from his day to this.
The first act of July 4, 1889, was
declared to be for the encourage
ment and protection of manufac-
lures But back in the early days,
as now, there were ardent ex-
ponents Of free trade and of tariff
for revenue only and each of the
three doctrines has had its meas
ure of popularity throughout
American history. Two tariff
laws were enacted during the ad-
ministration of Madison, one in
1912, n in 1916. The law of
1917 was more definitely for the
purpose of protection than the
previous ones. 1t was drafted
largely by Henry Clay and is con-
sidered the parent act to its sue
cessors. About 1920 marked the
height of feeling on the issue of
protection, the north standing in
its defense, the south in opposition.
This campaign eliminated in the
tariff act Of 1924, enacted during
the administration of Monroe.
With the next tariff law of
1928. enacted during the admins
tration of John Quincy Adams, the
tariff became the chief issue in
political contention. One of the
issues in that discussion, as in dis
cussion of the pending tariff bill,
was the method of valuation. 1t
created a system of minimum val
uation which was bitterly opposed,
and was abolished by the subse-
quent tariff act of 1882, passed in
the administration of Andrew
Jackson. This act modified a num-
Der of the Objectionable features.
but the determined opposition of
the south affected another change
in 1888, providing for a gradual
reduction in all duties. The last
of the Wing tariff acts was
passed in 1912, during Tyler's term
of office.
THE next act, known as the
Walker Revenue Tariff, passed
in 1916 and signed by President
Polk, was the victory of the demo-
Gratis and anti-protectionists. 1t
was drafted largely by Robert
Walker, secretary of the treasury,
and a free trader. A further re-
duction in tariff duties was made
by an act Of 1857, enacted during
Buchanan's term. The period from
1916 to 1857 is often referred to
as a period Of free trade, though
it was not really so in fact, but
was merely a period in which the
theory of protective tariff was out
of favor.
THE first tariff act Of the mod
ern republican party was the Nor
rill act Of 1861. This act changed
the basis Of lcvying duties from
ad valorem to specific duties.
Throughout the period of the civil
wal numerous acts increasing du-
ties on imports were passed as
expedients for financing the war,
chief among them being an act of
1862 and one of 1864. The ex-
tremely high rates made necessary
for raising of war grad
ually merged into a protectionist
policy lore extreme than that adj
vocated by extremists before the
war. The various acts passed be-
tween the end of the war and 1883
represent the conflicting interests
at work on the one side to retain
and make permanent and on the
other side to terminate the special
war legislation. Chief among them
were an act of 1867 signed by
President Johnson, and n of
1870 and another 1872 approved by
Grant.
The tariff act of 1883 passed
during Arthur's administration was
a complete revision of tariff legis-
lation. This act was based on the
report of the tariff commission OF
1882. The Mckinley tariff act OF
1890, approved by Benjamin Har-
rison, was a further extension OF
protectionist policy. The political
campaigns during the life of this
measure were waged on the tariff
issue and with the victory of the
democrats the Wilson-Gorman