Evening star., 1897-06-11
PROPOSED TARIFF COMMISSION,
Representative FOwlcr's Plan to Do
Away With Party ..Tnrif Tfnkcrfar."

Representative FowIcr's Plan to Do
Away With Party ..Tnrff Tfnkcrfng.'
Representative Fowler of New Jersey is
very much interested in the subject of a
tariff commission to investigate federal
| taxation, recommend changes therein and
adjust inequalities in existing law He has
introduced a bill in the House 10 carry out
I MS idea IN this particular. 1t provides for
commission OF seven members, appointed
by the President, and whose term of office
shall be twenty-one years. 1t shall make
annual recommendations to the President
regarding the SUSPENSION of import duties
or internal revenue taxes.
Mr.. FoWler has written a circular letter
upon the subject, in which he says:
Every one now realizes, l think that
the American people of all sections. of all
parties, of every calling and OF all classes
are tired and heartily sick of tariff tinker
ing and the consequent disturbance, if not
actual destruction, of all lines of business.
What they need and most earnestly desire
Is an opportunity to engage in business
with assurance that there will be no such
radical changes as will destroy, or even
cripple, any department of trade COM
merce
Any tariff measure that will produce
sufflcfent revenue to support the govern
nlent under present conditions will, with
the natural increase of population and the
greater consumption incident to prosperity,
bring us in a few years a hundred mil
lions more revenue than will be required
to meet expenses. 1t should not be taken
from the people. 1t would naturally lead
to national extravaganza.
How. then. shall we adjust our revenues
to our actual needs? Shall it be by over
hauling the whole subject again-every
schedule. down to the very last item? Ger
taInly business prudence would require
that our taxes be lowered gradually and
removed from such articles as an intelli-
gent and skilled commission would rec
ommend. The changes should be SO made
as to result in an evolution, and not in a
revolution.
The taxes should be abated from year
to year and taken from one schedule at a
time Hence, the President who is re-
sponsible for the proper administration of
the government, with the recommendation
of the tariff commission, ought to have the
power to suspend any portion of the taxes.
and the country not be compelled to wait
until the executive, the House of Repre-
sentatives and the Senate were in political
conjunction. which might not happen for
several years. They were not in conjunc-
uon from 1875 until 1889.
THAT the President may suspend taxes
II that power were given him by Congress
was decided by the Supreme Court in Field
VS.. Clark, vol 143, L. s. Reports, page 649
when the constitutionality of the reciproc-
lenged.
'"The duty of the commission 10 inyesti-
gale all federal taxation and domestic and
foreign conditions. and annually recom-
smend changes calling for legislation, will
make it a most valuable adjunct to a wise
administration Of our national affairs
"Its establishment cannot do any harm.
while 1t may prove the greatest possible
blessing to the American people in secur-
ing stability to our varied business inter-
ests. and continued and equal prosperity
to all sections Of our common country"