Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-19
HON. BEN WILSON.
Hts speech on the Appointments of u
Tariff Comm issiOn, Delivered in Con-
Rreaa ON ADriI l5.

Mr.. Wilson's speech rs follows:
Mr.. Chairman, gentlemen have dis
cuSSed this question a. though Congress
were now engaged in revising existing
tariff laws. They seem to overlook the
object of the bill under consideration,
that it provides for the appointment of
a commission by the President, by and
with the consent of the Senate; that
commission to b. composed of nine
competent Gentlemen, who are to
"thOrOughly investigate all the various
questions relating To the agricultural,
commercial. mercantile, manufacturing,
mining, and industrial interests of the
United States, 80 far a. the same may be
necessary To the establishment OF a
iudiciouS tariff, or revision of the exist
ing taritrupOn a scale of Justice to all
interests" 1t is not question of pro-
tpctivc tariff, nor question of tariff for
revenue only, but simply a means pro-
posed Of obtaining the necessary infOr-
nation upon this great economic sub
icct, to enable Congress to legislate
intelligently upon the tariff and with
Justice to all interests.
1t is in my opinion the most eXpedi-
tiOus plan that Congress can adopt. There
are many able gentlemen upon the floor
of this House who are opposed to this
hill gentlemen in whose intelligence
and ability we all have confidence; hut
which OfthCse gentlemen viii come to
the front aud announce that he Is
familiar with all the various questions
relating TO the great interests which
have enumerated? Who ION this floor
has mastered the sciences of agriculture,
manufacturing, and mining, and is
thoroughly cOnversant with the mer-
camille and commercial interests OF the
country? What gentleman on this hoo
isprepared to-day or could be- this week or
session, if it continued until December,
10 point out the several thousand artl-
cles to BE- affected in one way OranOther
by a tariff bill?
Men ofspecial training and experience
have devoted their lives to these various
questions, and they are not in accord as
to the proper policy to be pursued.
What the country and Congress now
need Is such information upon this sub
iect a. could only be obtained by eX-
perts. They should be taken from all
parts of the country. They should be
of different political parties; they should
be of different opinions Oh the question
of tariff. They could compile informa-
tiOnandfurniSh it TO members OtCOngress
from time to time much earlier than u
would otherwise be obtained, and
enable Congress TO look more thoroughly
into the subject and To formulate bill
that would be acceptable to the coun-
Try. M.
Take the Wood tariff bill rs an Illus
tratiOn. Ii had been framed or ac-
uuiesccd in by a committee OIL the
| Speakers choosing after great labor anu
research. IL was material mOdilca-
ton of existing tariff laws. 1t was
sustained upon the floor OF this House
| by some Of the able and eloquent gentle
! men who oppose the bill now unuer
consideration. That Wood tariff Dill
/ fell so far below the demands OF the
/ upOplc, was so obnoxious, that Rouse
/ of the same political creed with the
/ Trainers of it struck out the cnactlnS
clause and killed it.
| If the revision of the tariff can be
/ so easily accomplish ell let me ask my
} Democratic friends upon this floor why
il was that during the six years we had
! control here such revision was not
made? ,,..
/ II will be remembered, Mr.. Chair
man. that in the FOrty-fOurth Congress,
| when the Democratic party came INTO
| mower and held this House by large
/ majority, the gentleman from Illinois
( TMR. MORRISON was the chairman OF
! the Committee on Ways and Means.
He reported a bill having for its object
! the revision of the tariff, but that bill
though discussed was not passed; ana
| LATER after the lamented member from
| New York tMr. Wood became chair
| man of that committee, he, TOO, re-
/ ported a bill for the same purpose, the
| one TO which | have referred as the
/ Mood tariff bill. Its fate L have stated
TO illustrate my position, Mr.. CnaT-
! man take a long session of Congress.
/ Let il start out to revise the tariu: Inc
| suhiect must first be considered III the
! Committee on Ways and Means. mat
| committee Is composed of fifteen mem
| hers and there are two hundred ana
ninety-three members in the House.
The subject must first be examined anu
considered BY the committee and re-
norted 10 the House. Experience has
shown that this will require severa,
months. The Wood bill was reported
March %, and that perhaps Is as early y
day i'm any long session rs such report
can be made. Up to the making OF the
report the remaining two hundred aho
~eyeutV-eight members of the House
have no time or opportunity to examine
and consider the subject. They are
charged with other matters before othei
committees, and must rely principally
mOn the report Of the commit
tee and the discussion upon
the floor of the House for information t'
control their action. .
Now, how different would II be II the
House could have the benefit OF the re-
search, examination, and report OF q
commission composed of such gentle
men as are contemplated by this bill
Their reports upon various subjects
wonId reach members by the time Con
oress convened, and then every mem
her would have such information q;
would enable him to study the suo)ecl
and be prepared upon the coming IN o.
the Committees report to vote upon
the matter i'm an intelligent manner
nv this means a conclusion coulu oS
reached on this perpleXing question tnal
would serve the best interest OF Tie
country. -.
We have now been in session -four
months and half, and no bill revising
Tbs tariff has vet been framed. L take
il that no one gentleman nor any
number of gentlemen, could frame
hin that we could pass, giving reasona'
. HE time for its discussion and consldera
ton before Congress must adjourn
The subject of tariff has occupied tht
attention of Congress and puzzled tht
. brains of Ourablest statesmen and politl
cal economists from the organization o
the Government down to this time.
/; read the following extract iron
Perry's Political Economy:
1.-The first government established II
: this country, the government of tn
E Confederation, which lasted from lIS
; to 1889, was not gifted by the peopt
with the power 'toregulate commerce.
This was one of the reserved rights ofth'
States, which Immediately began TO Us
it in accordance with their own view
" ofthe;r own interests. Each State Lax