The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-21
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE TARIFF CONVENTION.
Business Men Moving to Take the
Tarin Issue Out of Politics.

Az ASSue OuG Oh IOltiCS.
Edttor OF the CdlI-SIR: 1t is worth while t
repeat the substance of a dispatch published
IN this City yesterday, dated May 10, Detroit
MICH, winch said: 1.-THE National Non Parti
san Commercial Tariff Convention, which
meets In this city June postponed from Ma!
Iol' Will be considerably larger than its pro
lectors at hrst anticipated. Secretary s. B
Archer OF the Tariff Commission League has
received credentials already from commercial
oooles which have chosen over 1000 delegates
AT least double that number of accredited del
egates Is expected, representing Boards o.
trade and Chambers of Commerce, and there
Will also be representatives of labor and agri
cultural organizations. The convention will
PROBABLY continue in session week or more
Inc stated object of the convention is to devise
some method of eliminating the tariff issue
from politics.
some ten days before the publication of the
call for this National Nom Partizen CONNER
c.ai iarin Convention, it was my privilege
ailer correspondence and conference with the
ieading thinkers in the Peoples party, to
formulate and pu blish In a communication to
lhE GALL the following proposal, under date
Oh March ~: The creation by act of Congress
OF a National Non-Partisan Tribunal mot q
CON mlsslon) TO consist of business men OF the
hlgnest attainments and character, who shall
pe eiectea at large one from each State, and
shall hold Office for term of not less than six
years, ana VINO shall fix the schedules and adj
JUST the rates on each of the 1000 articles in
cluded In The list now subject TO duty. As a
MEMBER OF the committee on platform in the
S Ssate convention OF the Peoples party. held in
oacramento last week, it was my pleasure to
cooperate with Hon. Thomas " Gator in Sc
curing the adoption by the convention of the
IoIiowing, as proposed by Mr.. Gator: eve de-
T raHa me creation of National Non-Partisan
LarIn tribunal OF experts by Congress, which
shalI De SUBJECT TO the control of Congress, to
tne enc that tariff agitation may be taken out
oL Poltlcs' and 10 the end that tariff schedules
suaIl pe SO ADJUSTED that the benefit derived
thereirom shall result to labor and not to
trusts 1t is almost a foregone conclusion
tnat the National Convention of the Peoples
party, 10 assemble in st. Louis July %, will
ADOPT substantially the same declaratio and
as member OF California delegation to the
N IA nc convention it is my purpose to do
All IN my power to secure its adoption as the
pest solution OF the much-buffetted and mis-
chief-breeding tariff question.
MY purpose IN the present communication is
TO ask the attention of the National Non-Parti-
san commercial Tariff Convention, to convene
In Detroit, June 2, to candid consideration of
Sne foregoing proposal for the creation by
congress OF National Non-Partisan Elective
Iarln tribunal OF experts, whose sole duty 1t
she'll be to handle the tariff question, nine
months OF the year, the entire time of the
members to be devoted to a close study OF the
especlal interests OF their several states In par
tlcular and OF the whole tariff schedule in gen.
eral, and then the tribunal shall meet in COM
mittee OF the whole at Washington or at some
designated place three months prior TO the
regular session of Congress and formulate
such measures for the whole country as shall
WORK no hardship to any industry or State in
the Union, the same to be presented TO Con-
gress in the form OF law, ready for enactment.
such sections OF general interest 10 the whole
country as may be agreed upon from time 10
time being given the widest publicity as news,
to the end that the whole people may know and
understand the character OF the proposed meas
ures, thereby creating public opinion, which
snail be guide and prompter TO Congress in
passing upon these measures.
Little comment is necessary in elucidation
or advocacy " such tariff tribunal OF eX-
perts, chosen from among the trained and
broad-gauge business men of the country, who
shall provide safe and stable means of rails
ing the revenue of the country for the support
OF the Government and prevent any sudden
and disastrous change in the tariff laws, or
such a change, SUCH as we nave had during
the last half century, alike detrimental to in
vested interests and TO the labor interests OF
the country. Indeed 1t is a matter for sur
prise that the business OF the country has not
long since taken such stand on this vital
queatlon as that announced in THE CALL for a
tariff convention; and results will certainly fol-
low this Detroit conven ton which will be wide
reaching ana wholesome in their influence
and that convention may meet and deliberate
on measures for the elimination of the tariff
ques ton from politics with the full assurance
body polite represented by the new and grow
ing Peoples party viii cordially cooperate
with them TO secure the acceptance by the
electors OF the country OF any measure which
toilers well AS to capitalists, 10 the end that
the tariff issue may be taken out of politics.
JOSEPH AsHBURY JOHNSON.
IL Essex street San Francisco.