The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-08-31
THE TARIFF COMMISSIONS


Does not seem to have impressed the
Boston people immensely during their
stay there. The Boston Post declares
that nothing more fitly illustrates the
farcieal character of the Commission
than the performances before it by those
who give what is called testimony"
These men have, in every instance, spe-
cial interests to serve, and they are. not
capable of giving disinterested view
of the relation of the tariff to their
trades. They talk about their goods and
their business as travelling agents talk
to the men who they hope, will become
purchasers. Apparently, the Commits
siOners swallow all the statements as
though they were the wise utterances of
impartial sages; at least they give no
sign that they appreciate the true char
acter of the alleged Testimony Many
of these people are familiar to the mem
bers of the Ways and Means Committee
of the House of Representatives. They
have been seen about the lObbies of the
Capitol year after year. They have ap-
peared before the committee time and
again to give Testimony" of the same
character as that which they are now
pouring into the ears of the Commission.
Much of this Testimony" is accessible
to the Commission, for it is embalmed
in public documents which it would be
worth the while of the Commissioners
to carefully read. The committee that
Congress declared, by appointing the
Commission, unfit to deal with the tariff
question, had at least the faculty of
finding out by judicious crOss-cxamina-
ton the precise status of each one of
these experts, and of the trade repre-
sented by him. II is very evident that
this farcical Tariff Commission has not
that faculty, or else its members desire
that the unchallenged statements of in
terested parties should appear as evil
dence. At any rate, this work is in
striking contrast to the work of the
Ways and Means Committee. During
the last few years the same men who
are now giving one-sided information
to the Commission have been subjected
to cross-examinatiOn by James A. Gar
field, John G. Carlisle, Vim. R. Morrison,
Fernando Wood, Mr.. Randall, Judge
Kelley, VIM. P. Frye, Randolph Tucker
and Mr.. Gibson. These men found out
much more of the truth from the "wit-
"nesses" than the Commission is likely
to. and the Commissioners would save a
good deal of time if they would read the |
results of the labOrs of the Ways and |
Means Committee. instead Of hearing |
agents and attorneys.
If the tariff should be revised accord |
ing to the alleged Testimony" it would |
be very curious product. On the first |
day of the Commissioners meeting in
Boston, one gentleman wanted the duty
on steel increased 100 per cent, and on
Norway. and Swedish iron IS per cent.
Now iron is taxed all the way from 30
per cent. to over 100 per cent, and steel
is taxed as high. Some other gentleman
insisted that scrap iron shall come in
free, and still another steel rail manu-
facturer wants blooms to come in at
less rate than is now charged. A cotton |
planter wants hoop iron free, and an |
irOn-master wants the rate of duty |
doubled. So it goes. With hardly al |
exception, they all demand higher
tariff. Occasionally some astute indi- |
Vidual, who is shrewd enough to read |
the signs of the times, comes along and
says that his industry has enough pro-