The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-08
TliETARIff COMMISSION,
The Opening address or rPresIdent Joh,
#.. ...F l., Hayes

WASHINGTON, July THE following Is
the opening address OH the oryan.
ization Of the Tariff Commis.
sion. delivered before the Commission
at its iint meeting yesterday by John l..
Hayes, L. l.. d., its President:
GENTLEMEN: have tho honor aud
pleasure OF greeting you US members Of the
Tariff Commission, and Of welcoming YOU
to what | trust will he u pleasant associa.
ton in useful lators.
You will doubtless agree with me tim,
this Commission has no other fnnr,ions
than those provided BY law, and that ia
essential duties arc defined by the third
section OF the act constituting tile Commis.
sion.
1t would be improper for me TO antiri.
pate the conclusion which should be made
by your collective wisdom by any inter.
pretAtion OF my own of the law defining
your functions; but may, perhaps, be nj.
lowed to refer to one Phrase in the law
constituting the Commission. which 7
think, you will agree with inc shouli he
the keynote Of our deliberations. The law
declares that the objective point of our
labors 10 the establishment OF iu,licions
tariff, or revision OF the exis,in. tariff laws
upon scale OF Justice TO all interests,
4 radical or subversive change in tho
present general economic policy Of The
country is virtually interdicted, and n in.
dicious, not Il revolutionary tariff. a reyi.
sion, not destruction OF existin. tar,i,
laws, is declared to be the object 10 which
our labors should conduce. II il in the
name OF Justice that an eminent statesman,
who is the ablest opponent OF the theory
upon which the existing tariff laws
are based, and whose relations
to constitution Of this Commission
gives greater weight TO his words, has re.
Gently disclosed in his commemorative
enlogy upon Daniel Webster that "no nd
iustment of the tariff laws which oyerlooks
the system OF taxation under which capital
for several generations has been invested.
and labor induced TO apply its powers TO
special pursuits, will be either lust or
wise"
| have said this Commission has no
other functions than those expressed in
the law. But there is paramount and
implied condition in all service TO the
State, namely, the obligation to regard the
Interests OF the nation or those all.embrac-
ing benefits summed up in the words
national prosperity"
Who will say that We should not keep in
view the attainment OF the highest possi.
bic material life for the nation; it's security
in times OF war implying both its means OF
defence and industrial independence; its
position among other nations its acaui.
| sltion OF all the arts which fortiiy. en-
rich, and adorn its attractiveness for
the skilled labor OF other lands and the
comfort and means OF support OF all its
people? In the revived life OF the nation
since the healing OF the wounds of its late
division patriotism is last supplan,iey sec.
| tionalism.
By making the national interes: para.
mount to those OF section, class, or indus.
try, We may also find a solution OF many
questions OF opposite, individual, sec.
tional Interests, and- may avoid many
difficulties by remembering, while not
unmindiul OF Justice to existing interests,
that protective duties should be imposed
or withheld, not for the benefit of indi-
viduals or special industries, but for the
good OF the nation.
have said thus much, gentlemen, only
that might express my own sense OF our
high obligations and grave responsibilities
to Congress, for which We are the instru-
ments OF investigation. should encroach
upon your prerogative-if have not al
ready done soft | should enlarge further
upon the duties before us. shall occupy
your attention no longer, rs the time at our
command, and its most diligent improve
ment, will be required for the iulflment Of
the imperative obligation ior the compile
tion OF our labors at the time fixed by Con-
sress, and | now await your action for the
commencement OF the practical work OF the
Commission, ~