Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
EARLY TARIFF REVISION
BY CONGRESS is SEEN
Extent of Changes Held in Doubt by
Writer, Who Predicts Schedules Will
Be Increased to Answer Demands.

cheaper than in the American market.
The officials of the road were reminded
by angry protests that their road made
its living by carrying American made
goods.
A town council in one of the South
ern States. near the Atlantic seaboard,
found it could get cement for paving
from Europe cheaper than the American
product. The action, when discovered.
was followed by an cutlery that talked
seriously in terms Of removing the off,
Gals from office.
Nays Linen" May Cause Commotion.
In the American Navy, by the way,
there seems to be a condition that
should cause rage to the priests of pro-
tecticn when they discover it. Appar-
emily the law-probably passed when
the protective spokesman we're taking a
nap-provides that the Navy should buy
It's supplies where it can get them at
lowest cost. However it came about, the
fact is that some of the table linen
more accurately, cotton) used in the
Navy, Is made in Europe. When this
TACT is noticed there will be a commo-
ton.
Previous tariff revisions we're fight.
There were two sides to them. The out
comes made and unmade parties. They
made or destroyed party leaders. They
unseated parties in power and seated
the other party. Who now remembers
how schedule K" blazed through the
newspaper headlines in 1909? What
that mystic phrase meant; the effect
1t had on the fortunes of the Repub-
llcan party, on President Taft. and sub
Sequently on President Wilson?
To summarize comparatively recent
history, the Republicans in 1890 passed
the Mckinley Aldrich act. It was, as
all Republican tariffs are, hiwh-protec-
, tive, though mildly so. Thereupon the
Republicans went down to defeat In
the congressional elections of 1890 and
the presidential election of 1892.
Helped Elect Mckinley.
In 1894 the Democrats revised the
tariff downward in the Wilson act,
which put wool on the free list and
reduced the rates on nearly all textiles,
and also on pig iron and steel. After
ward came hard times, which the Re-
publlcans said were due to the Demo-
cratic low tariff (but which sound econ
omlStS and historians agree were caused
In large part by currency condition).
Thereupon, in 1896, the Democrats were
beaten and Mckinley was elected.
In 1897 the Republicans raised the
tariff in the Dingley act-and calmly
Claimed credit for the good times which
enslsed. (Thouga most economists and
historians now sag tie good times were
due, in large part, to an Increased gold
supply in the Klondike and s.Sewhere)
BY 1908 the public had come 10 feel
that the protective tariff was responsible
In large. part for trusts and monopo1iAA.
Thereupon, the Republican party 49,
sumed-or seemed during the campaign
10 assume new role; they promised
to revise the tariff downward Mr.. Taft,
running for election to the presidency
In that campaign, promised revision
downward. The Republicans won the
election and proceeded to revise the
tariff-but revised it upward. That
Payne-Aldrich upward tariff revision
led to public cutlery. In the congress
sional elections in the Fall of 1910 the
Democrats turned the Republicans out
OF power in the lower house. The
Payne Aldrich act was in large part re-
Sponsible for the defeat of President
Taft the downfall of Speaker Cannon
and later the elevation of Woodrow
Wilson.
In 1913 the Democrats passed the
Underwood Simmons tariff, which re-
duced nearly all schedules and in par
ticular shattered schedule K on wool.
The effects of the Underwood Simmons
tarln could not be normal The Great
War interviewed and became, through
the interruption Of shipping, a higher
prohibition of imports than any writ
ten tarff could be. In 1921 the Re-
publicans returned to power. Inlnle-
diately they passed. first the emergency
tariff upward, and later, on September
81, 1922, the Fordney- Cumber tariff,
now in effect.
Tho nracayf
vision comes almost wholly from those
who insist the present duties are not
nigh enough. Practically every in
dustry says it must have more. The
ways and means committee of the lower
mouse. which is the tariff-making COM
mittee, is holding hearings that will
continue until February 25. Before the
committee comes a procession of heads
OF INDUSTRY who wiring their hands and
wall to heaven that they must have
higher tariff or be destroyed.
Demand for Boost Held National.
The demand for revision upward Is
practically national Before the COM
mlttee and before the country comes
almost no one asking that the tariff
be revised downward. either in the in
terest OF any industry or in the broad
interest OF consumers generally. The
PluSpcCI Is lot revision upward Dy q
kind of general assent. One wonders
whether this condition will continue:
whether any one either In the classifica-
ton Of politician or of statesman will
arise to seize the obvious opening and
make name for himself.
Can 1t be true that practically all
American industry Is sick and needs
higher protection? That this Is true
OF the farmer. everybody admits. But
is 1t true of manufacturing generally2
If any voice arises in the wilderness
to proclaim against revision upward,
one OF his arguments will probably con-
sist OF compilation of the profits made
by American manufacturers during the
six years of the existence of the pres
ent Fordney- McCumber tariff. Speaking
broadly. the values of stocks of manu-
featuring corporations on the New York
and other stock exchanges today are
anywhere from twice to five or six times
the price they were in 1922. This con-
dition may not be necessarily a con-
elusive argument on the tariff. But nor
mally one would expect it to cut q
good deal of figure in the debates.