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Show MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM. The word which comes from Washington Wash-ington to the effect that, tho new tariff legislation is likely to follow tho lines of establishing maximum aud minimum schedules, is an idea directly in conformity con-formity with tho -ideas of James G. Blaine. His thought with regard to the framing of tariff legislation alwa3s tended towards tho proposition that our tariff laws should be framed so as to help our trade. A common criticism of his on fuggestod tariff propositions was that the3' would not help sell a barrel bar-rel of pork or of flour to foreign countries. coun-tries. Aud his idea's prevailed very largely; specifically they wore applied iu tho direction of reciprocity, allowing the President to grant reciprocal ad-A'antages ad-A'antages to countries which had customs cus-toms laws favorable to the admission of American products and manufactures therein. So that if tho new- tariff legislation shall indeed follow maximum and minimum mini-mum lines, as Mr. Blaiue always favored, fa-vored, tho President will be authorized to grant, minimum rates to those countries coun-tries which, l3' concessions in their customs cus-toms law;, favor the import of American Ameri-can products. Thoso who do not. will suffer the penalty of having to p.y tho j maximum tariff rates on the bringing in of goods front those countricb to our ports. Ah a corollary to, and perhaps as a pnrt of, this maximum and minimum idea in framing the tariff bill, it ma3" bo possible to ingraft another priuciplo often urged in this county-, that Oods imported in American ships shall receive ospeeialh' favored tariff rates. This, in place of a direct subsidy In American Ameri-can .shipping, may perhaps be found tho practical and least objectionable way of building up the American merchant mer-chant marine. It would be a more cost- 1- waj- to the treasury, however, than a direct, subsidy, but it. is a way that the poo'ple would be less likely to opposo than the direct subsid3", which is the cheapest, most efficient, most simple, nnd most effectual waj' of building up and maintaining a merchant marine, as has been demonstrated b3 Great Britain and more lately by the German Empire. Em-pire. There appears to bo a singular fierceness iu tho hostility of popular opinion 'iu this count r3 to the direct subsidy, however, aud repoatcd efforts lo have it enacted into law have aroused such Ktonns of opposition that failure has followed ever attempt. The more eostty proposition of allowing a rebate on tariff duties where the articles imported im-ported were carried in American ships ma3, lvj reason of this singular misapprehension mis-apprehension in tho public mind in this countiy, be the necessary solution of the problem of how to build up tho American merchant marine. It might perhaps be a good idea to try it as a special schedule in the new tariff bill. That would probably demonstrate at once the weakness and comparative ineffectiveness in-effectiveness of this form of helping tho American merchant mnrine, and might bring to the alt cut ion of the coun-tr' coun-tr' in a more favorable light tho moro direct, loss costb', and most immedi-atob' immedi-atob' effective method of the subsid' proposition. |
