OCTOBER 13, '1911
The Commoner.
3
Mr. Bryan s Challenge to President Taft
After replying to President Taft's challenge to Mr. Bryan, Mr.
Bryan presented a challenge to the president. That challenge is
reiterated. Here it is:
Mr. Bryan challenges Mr. Taft to make public the written and
verbal recommendations upon which he appointed Justice White to
the position of chief justice over Justice Harlan and the recommen
dations, written and verbal, on which he appointed the justices
whom he has placed on the supremo bench. Did ho know how thoy
stood on the trust question or was it PURELY ACCIDENTAL that
ALL of his appointees took the trust side of the question?
He signed a publicity bill that requiroa publicity as to campaign
contributions. Why not have a little publicity as to the iniluoncos
that control the appointment of United States judges?
The man who freely issues challenges to others ought to bo
prepared to accept challenges on his own part.
Forty-five Years of Schedule KA Story of Dodge and Delay
April, 18.66 The wool-growers and wool
manufacturers meet at Washington, D. C, and
agree upon a tariff on wool and wool goods.
April, 1866 The wool-growers recommend a
tariff on wool to the United States revenue com
mission. March 2, 1867 A republican congress passes
a woolen tariff law substantially the same as
that recommended by the wool growers and
manufacturers.
s January, 1880 Agitation for a revision of
the tariff. The national association of wool
growers opposes any change in Schedule K, but
favors a tariff commission.
February, 1880 The president and secretary
of the national association of wool manufactur
ers interview the president of the United States
and obtain assurances as to the personnel of the
new commission.
March, 1880 The national association of
wool manufacturers recommends the passage of
the tariff commission bill without amendment.
July, 1880 The national association of wool
manufacturers circulates among manufacturers
a petition which says:
"That the manufacturer should have a pro
tective duty sufficient to offset the high cost of
labor, interest and taxes; that the present tariff
(Schedule K) should continue until special and
minute Information from experts shall indicate
the changes that can safely be made; that the
best method of obtaining the required Informa
tion is through the Eaton tariff commission."
May 15, 1882 A tariff commission authorized
by act of congress.
May, 1882 John L. Hayes, secretary of the
national association of wool manufacturers, ap
pointed president of the tariff commission. Later
he is made chairman of the sub-committee to
prepare the woolen and worsted schedules.
December, 1882 Report of tariff commission
Bent to congress.
March 3, 1883 Tariff bill passed increasing
some rates in Schedule K and making reductions
that did not help the consumer.
October 1, 1890 The McKinley bill is passed
by a republican congress, increasing duties on
wool goods. The duty on worsted tops, manu
factured by William Whitman, president of the
national association of wool manufacturers, is
made equal to the duty on finished cloths.
August 27, 1894 The Wilson bill, passed by
a democratic congress, becomes a law, revising
Schedule K, with free wool and ad valorem
duties on goods.
March, 1897 S. N. D. North, secretary of the
national association of wool manufacturers, is
admitted to the secret sessions of the senate
finance committee during the framing of the
Dingley bill. April 4, 1897, North writes to
William Whitman:
"I am the only person whom the committee
allows in its meetings."
June 2, 1897 William Whitman writes to
Secretary North, who is attending tariff sessions
of finance committee:
"We all depend upon you to watch closely our
interests "
July 10, 1897 William Whitman writes to
Secretary North, who io attending tariff sessions
of finance committee: -
"I depend on you, dress goods, yarns and
tops."
July 25, 1897 The Dingley bill with Schedule
K practically unchanged, becomes a law.
1898 The national association of wool manu
facturers presents $5,000 to S. N. D. North, ita
secretary, for services in connection with the
revision of the tariff.
June, 1908 Agitation for a revision of the
tariff. The republican national convention at
Chicago pledges the party to revise the tariff to
equal the difference between tho foreign and
domestic cost of production plus a profit. ThiB
is practically tho same as tho proposition laid
down by tho national association of wool manu
facturers in July, 1884, for tho revision of tho
tariff.
September 26, 1908 William H. Taft, re
publican candidate for. president, makes tho fol
lowing pledge in a speech at St. Paul:
"I am hero to plight the faith of tho republi
can party, in accordance with its platform, that
the revision will bo honest and exact, according
to the measure stated In tho platform."
August 5, 1909 A republican congress passes
and President Taft signs tho Payne-Aldrich bill,
which leaves Schedule K practically unchanged.
September 16, 1909 President Taft confesses
at Winona, Minn., that it was Impossible to re
vise Schedule K because of the combine of wool
growers and wool-manufacturers.
April 8, 1910 William Whitman, president
of the national association of wool manufac
turers, before the Massachusetts cost-of-living
commission, states that he
"Does not know of any reason why President
Taft should know any more about the wool tariff
than does the gentleman who recently refused
to receive Mr. Roosevelt."
August 20, 1910 President Taft, in a letter
to Congressman William B. McKinley, states
that
"The precise difference in tho cost of pro
duction sought for is not capable of definite
ascertainment" and "all that even the most
scientific person can do is to exercise his best
judgment in reaching a conclusion."
October 17, 1910 William Whitman, presi
dent of the national association of wool manu
facturers, spends four hours with the tariff
board at Washington and then Issues the fol
lowing statement:
"I opposed the tariff commission very strongly,
but the tariff board is a very different thing. I
want to do what I can to show my appreciation
of President Taft. I believe he means well and
is doing well, and I am ready to meet him half
way." December 8, 1910 Banquet of the American
association of woolen and worsted manufac
turers at New York. Chairman Emery of the
tariff board present. On this occasion Chair
man Emery said:
"There are certain things that are very diffi
cult to get, and one thing, that according to the
platform of the republican party and inciden
tally that does not mean anything to me, except
that I have been given the job according to that
platform is to try to get the cost of produc
tion. I thank you all, gentlemen, that you did
not laugh. (Laughter.) I frankly say
right here that this idea of settling things on
cost alone by any mathematical or algebraical
or geometric ratio or problem or theory, is all
nonsense. You must not think I am joking
about this thing, but there is a joke about it,
and the joke is this: I have no powers what
soever. The tariff board has no powers. There
is really no such thing as a tariff board. The
law says that for certain purposes the president
may employ such persons as he sees fit. I am
one of such persons. That is all." (Laughter
and applause.)
February 1, 1911 Banquet of the national
association of wool manufacturers at Washing
ton, attended by thirty-five stand-pat senators
and representatives and two members, of the
tariff board, Chairman Emery and J. B. Rey
nolds. William M. Wood, president of the
American Washer company, said on this
occasion:
"If all the .schedules of the tariff were as well
balanced as Schedule K it' would bo the most
romarkablo document, next to tho constitution
of tho United States, that tho human mind has
over produced."
August 15, 1911 Passage of tho Underwood
La Folletto bill to roviso Schedulo K and pro
viding for duties of 29 per cent on wool and 49
por cent on wool goods.
August 16, 1911 President Taft votoes tho
Underwood-La Folletto bill on the ground that
tho tariff board has not reported. Worcester
(Mass.) Evening Post.
THE CANADIAN CAMPAIGN
Below will be found a lotter recently rccoivod
by Mr. Bryan from a prominont Canadian con
servative, giving his opinion as to the causes
that contributed to the defeat of reciprocity:
yeH tho conservatives won a threat
victory. I attributed It first to tho loyulty cry,
raising tho sentiment of allegiance to England. Tho
politicians here, Including myself made a few stump
speeches through this county all stating It was
simply the entering wedgo that would lead up to
commercial union and annexation of Canada.
"Secondly, they urguod Canuda now had ono
transcontinental railway In operation, and two
others were very nearly complotcd, viz., tho Grand
Trunk Pacific and tho Canadian Northorn for that
reason felt they had tho transportation facilities
for carrying out the produco of tho west and
shinning through Canadian ports to Great Britain.
"Thirdly, they argued Great Britain was tho cus
tomer for our agricultural products not tho United
States, although the United States might take a
certain amount, they were competitors and would
produco a certain quantity themselves.
"Fourth, tho speeches of Champ Clurk and ono
or two others, whose names I do not recall at tho
moment, in which they almost oponly stated this
continent would all como under ono flug; and othor
statements much stronger, attributed very ma
terially to tho adverse vote to reciprocity.
"Thero were a number of sentences in President
Taft's speeches as well ono at Atlantic City some
time ago, and others; tho intent of which was
easily construed as conveying that tho present
negotiations would lead to closer political rela
tions. "Prcsldont Taft's expression 'that Canada had
arrived at the parting of tho ways' Is a great text
for speakers to draw from. They Interpreted it
as meaning that Canada was now at the point
where she would glvo up a certain amount of her
allegiance to England.
"According to our statistics wo use 80 per cent
of tho natural products of today 10 per cent is
sent to Great Britain tho othor por cent is dis
tributed to foreign countries. Tho homo market
Is always tho best, and any country that can uoo
80 per cent of Its own production Is not very badly
situated as to the disposal of tho balance.
"Thero Is another point that had considerable
bearing, notwithstanding tho United States was
anxious to have reciprocity In natural products,
they did not equalize their tariff on other goods
with Canada; In other words, tho bars aro much
higher against Canada going into tho United States
than coming from tho United States Into Canada,
in tho way of duties; thoy should have started out
on a fair basis and equalled tho duties, as stated
above, then come on with reciprocity Jn the natural
products.
"Taking It all In all, my Impression Is that tho
sentimental part of It had more effect than any
other canvass. Secondly, tho ill-advised references
to annexation by some of your American states
men had a very had effect on tho carrying of tho
reciprocity pact."
It will be noticed that ho mentions tho "over"
high tariff as a cause. We have not shown our
selves very friendly to other nations in tariff
matters and the president had just vetoed the
farmers' free list. Our tariff wall must bo
lowered before we are in position to talk about
encouraging commerce.
A GOOD SIGN
Hon. George Fred Williams is again a power
in Massachusetts politics that is a good sign.
Fobs is making good: ho has earned a re-
election.
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LIFE'S COMPASS
Four, things a man' must learn to do' '
If he would make his record true:
To think without confusion clearly;
To love his fellow-men sincerely.;
To act from honest motives purely;
To trust in God and Heaven securely.
,'- Henry VanDyke.
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