Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-07-19
Natlon-Wide Protest.

from Whatever angle the Republican
tariff bill is approached, its weakness and
unpupularity is manifest
Not only is there nationwide protest
against the exorbitant rates involved in
its schedules. but the administrative fea-
lures. which contemplate doing away with
the non-partisan character of the Tariff
Commission and bestowing the power on
the President to make rates according to the
findings OF his own commission. has aroused
the hostility of Congress itself against the
further encroachmeDt Of the Executive on
the functions Of the Legislative branch of
the Government. Senator Borah has voiced
this sentiment and even so stalwart a
Republican as Congressman James NJ. Beck,
OF Pennsylvania, opposed the measure in
the House as Of doubtful constitutionality.
The com munications OF European, Amer
lean and Asiatic Governments. with the
implied threat Of retaliation, suggests a
menace to our foreign commerce.
The other day Senator Wheeler. of Mon
tana, pointed out that the huge industrial
corporations we're using the smaller, less
competent businesses as stalking horses to
excuse unreasonable increases in the
rates.
The Well Street Journal, staunch cham
pion OF big business. startled its clientele
on July 8 by an editorial Endorsement of
this contention.
Under the heading. "A Substitute for
Efficiency" this business newspaper said
1T Is not often that The Wall Street
Journal finds itself in sympathy with Sena-
tor Wheeler. Of Montana. whose idea of
legislation seems to be wherever you see
corporation head, hit it, When, how
ever. he says that the industries demand
ing ever higher and higher protection in
the tariff must prove their claim by their
books, he is on firm ground. One of the
evils Of protection is that it tends to become
substitute for efficiency
For reasons Of climate we have never
been able to build up linen industry in
this country TO compare with those Of the
west Of Scotland, Belfast or even Saxony
No industry has received higher protection
than the manufacture of wooden goods and
yet people OF only moderate means wear
Scotch tweeds. West Of England cloths, |
Bradford serges, cheviots and the like. |
because the quality is worth the difference |
in price, both in wear and in appearance |
The idea of making people clothes con-
scious' by wearing two suits Of inferior
quality, at superior prices. in :pIace Of one
which would look good to the last, has not
caught on
Our cotton goods manufacturers have
received higher protection every time the
Republican party has engineered a tariff
advance in acknowledgment Of favors re-
ceived. 10 spite Of the substantial in
creases Of 1922 that industry in New |
England has scarcely been paying its way. |
The alternative seems to have been resort
to cheap labor in the Southern cotton mills.
II seems a decidedly un-American expe-
dent and hardly bears out the contention
that the protective tariff is good for the
worker.
What seems TO be needed in the textile
industries is not more protection but re-
organization with an axe. together with an
improvement In quality. both in the prod
uct and in the conditions Of the worker.
Other industries have proved that good
WAGES and working conditions wonderfully
improve the per capita output, both in
quantity and quality. Long ago. when
other motor car manufacturers without
Ford's vision proposed to reduce wages
below two dollars day, Ford raised his
minimum to five dollars and took the
market away from them. Protection is,
perhaps, something Of necessary evil but
protection as a substitute for efficiency
becomes less tolerable every day.
ITO take only one group, all the textile
manufactures have shown Congress is that
protection has failed to teach them their
business
The Minneapolis Tribune. heretofore
faithful supporter Of the Republican ad-
ministration addresses an appeal to the
business men of the northwest to study
the Hawley BILL from the point of view
that whatever harms agriculture harms
the no,,hwes,e,n rnerchants and banLe,s
IAN a,ono the line sovs T,ih,ns
editorial "indus,,v has ,r,mmsd aoricu,.
,,,a" II INSTANCES a. an oxomnla Tho,
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. deal IL Gallon.
lated 70 cost the farmer from nina 10
e,sb,aen million doIIa,s vso, and than
nresen,s the folIowins ,ahls.
I, raises the costs ~ b,s ho,ns
II raises the costs NJ b;s sh;nalas
II ,o,sa. N. 800. =, 81. .h"Js
!, 80 49,. go. - ~. ,o,,.,Ia,,.a
m. eoo,;na.
T. $3.50