36o TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



duties upon certain articles were made prohibitive, upon others higher than they 

 otherwise would have been. 



In truth, McKinley did not decrease the revenues; the people paid 

 more than ever before, but the major part of their payments was di- 

 verted by the McKinley Law from the public treasury, into the coffers 

 of the great combinations and trusts which that law "mothered." I 

 say " mothered " because when McKinley prohibited imports of manu- 

 factured necessities, and made other imports very difficult, he permit- 

 ted, if he did not invite, home producers to combine and consolidate as 

 they did with excellent business judgment and fateful consequence. 

 Think of the good roads, conservation, waterways, and many other 

 blessings that we might have had with the moneys McKinley was afraid 

 to receive, and unwittingly diverted. Think of the ill-will and lack of 

 respect other nations had toward us. The Dingley Bill was no lower. 

 This, is mentioned only to indicate the just prejudices we have to 

 overcome, and the need of doing so quickly. 



In international trade the first bargain is properly the tariff bargain 

 that opens doors and makes entrance easy. Our present tariff has done 

 away with ill-will. It is honest, but it was made so hastily that there 

 was no time, even if there was thought of, securing the many conces- 

 sions that had long been waiting for us. Any other of the nations we 

 emulate would think itself insane to make its tariff inconsiderately, or 

 without most exhaustive study and bargaining. It is impossible that 

 we shall long fail to do so. We must study and negotiate with each 

 country exhaustively, and admit such of its products as we can use to 

 advantage at the same time that we secure the best possible terms for 

 such of our products as she can use. For we must buy if we sell. Just 

 as we must pay for our imports by our exports, and in addition pay 

 hundreds of millions of interest and dividends on our securities held 

 abroad, so other nations must export to us very largely if they buy from 

 us largely, and the newer countries must export more than they import. 

 We must, with extreme good judgment and care, ascertain just what 

 we can buy without hurt to our home products, at the same time that 

 we induce the foreigner to buy from us all that he can without hurt to 

 his own production. This means that there must be established a tariff 

 commission (call it by some other name if you will), a devoted body of 

 able men, consecrated to this work, impanial, high-minded, who shall 

 develop the facts in each case and submit the facts to Congress and the 

 President, in whom alone rests the power of making tariffs. 



We had an example in the tariff board established by President 

 Taft. This board was so limited in its term of office and otherwise that 

 its findings are not to be taken as conclusive as respects the need of a 

 commission. Where, however, it was able properly to develop a schedule 

 its findings were of tremendous value. In the cotton schedule, for 

 instance, its findings were final and fixed the judgment of all who 



