Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-12-13
HUMBUG AND MENACE
WHY THE TARIFF COMMISSION
is NOT DESIRABLE.
r. Would Involve an Extended Period
of Tariff Agitation and Uncertainty,
Thus Causing Uneasiness and
Alarm in all Lines of Commercial
Activity.

mere has Recently USSA SOluO or
prevail in high quarters of proposal
to appoint Bipartisan" tariff COM
mission to wrestle with the tariff
problem for an indefinite period and
wind up with making recommends
tons to Congress The New York
Commercial, which has been a con-
sistent supporter of the protective
policy, has taken the matter up in
sensational way, sending out broad
sides and blank petitions all over the
country, with the evident intent, if a
commission should be appointed, of
claiming that the Commercial did
it, after the established custom of
the sensational press.
A Bipartisan tariff commission"
would be utter humbug, and its
performances would be roaring
farce. 1t would be absolutely known
in advance that the three or five
members who would constitute the
protectionist majority would recon
mend" the maintenance of the present
protective system, and that the two
or four free traders of the minority
would object to every recommends
ton made by the majority and rec
ommend" exactly the opposite. 1t
would also be known that the two
reports would be printed in many
thick volumes of Testimony argu-
ment and speculation containing little
or nothing new and comprising an
enormous mass which nobody would
ever read or even look at except for
the purpose of digging out short ex-
tracts calculated to support a policy
which the scarcer was predetermined
to favor. Finally it would be known
I'm advance hot
no more attention to the ''recommen-
dations" of the commission than it
pays to the winds which whistle
about the dome of the capitol.
II the commission were only a
farce the nation could, perhaps, at
ford to pay the cost for the sake OF
quieting the yells of the disgruntled
and restless, just as a nurse diverts
a squalling baby with a rattle. But
it would not be merely a farce; it
would be disastrous From the mo-
ment it was resolved to appoint such
commission every business interest
in the country would take alarm, fol
it would be known that we had enter
ed upon a long period of tariff agita
ton, whose outcome as to any par
ticular interest could not be ever
guessed at. There would be intrigue.
to learn in advance and modify the
recommendations of the commits
sion, and when that was through the
whole fight would be transferred tt
Congress. We had one such commits
sion few years ago, and the coun
try never wants another. The place
to discuss matters is in the oper
forum of the House of Representa-
tives and Senate, as contemplated b.
the constitution
There is no objection to securins
official information as to the working.
of the present tariff or the probable
workings of any proposed modifica
ton. On the contrary, it is highl,
desirable But the government i.
already provided with machinery nee
essary for that purpose in all respect.
better than any partisan, non-parti
san or bipartisan commission. 1t i.
only necessary for congress to direc
that the actuary of the treasury de
partment should report in words ant
figures precisely what would happier
in respect to revenue and to import.
and exports of commodities in case
certain named changes in the tariff
were made. These official estimate.
could be made upon request of an,
organized party in Congress, an,
national political convention or an,
other influential body making definite
Inquiries in good faith. That is al
: we want to know. We need no rec
concentrations" from anybody. A few
pages of figures would tell the Who'll,
story. 1t would be businesslike ane
sensible. A bipartisan commission
would be humbug and a menace tt
prosperity-San Francisco Chronicle