Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-07
TO REVISE THE TARIFF
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION o.
MANUFACTURERS ACTIVITY,
To Take Matter Out of Politics and
Put It in Hands of a Semi
Judicial Commission.

A new and aggressive influence in both
legislative and administrative affairs is ex-
pected to make itself manifest at the Ma
tional capital during the next session of
Congress and probably for a long time
afterward. This new force is embodied in
the organization known as the National AS
ISOLATION of Manufacturers, which held its
convention In Washington last spring,
when it was addressed by Secretary Root
and several members of Congress upon the
importance Of enlarging our export trade.
Heretofore this important organization has
conducted Its affairs in Washington without
publicity. But now 1t seeks publicity and
the widest advocacy of its views principally
as to two subjects-the revision of the tariff
and the relations between capital and
labor.
The National Association of Manufac-
turers Is said to be composed of about 1900
manufacturers, representing some what more
than that number Of industries. This MEM
bership is claimed to represent a capitaliza-
tion of about $4,000, ,OO0OOO,\ and at least
Is per cent of the manufacturing industries
Of the country. The membership is dis
tributed throughout the United States, but
is especially strong In the central west,
and it is said that the attitude of this or
ganization will be of especial interest to
Speaker Cannon and the other stand
patters," who have opposed the plan of
revision Of the tariff which is advocated ,by
the association.
Take It Out of Politics.
This association declared last spring,
with practical unanimity, that the present
tariff ought to be revised, and that process
of revision should be taken out Of politics
1t had been believed by many that it was
the manufacturers of the country them
selves who wished to retain the existing
customs schedule intact. 1t was a sensa-
tion that stirred up the high protective
organs Of the republican party throughout
Of manufacturers asked for immediate
revision Of the tariff. The resolutions
adopted did not ask for revision at some
indefinite time in the future, as suggested
by Secretary Taft, but asked for it now
that is to say, at the opening OF the next
Congress. Those resolutions also declared
in. favor Of the creation of national
tariff commission, Of a semi-judtcial ma
ture, somewhat like the interstate com
merce commission, whose function 1t would
be to give continual hearings upon the
customs duties and to report periodically
both. to Congress and the executive. 1t
was also proposed that there Should be
granted in the next revenue act by Con-
gress limited discretion to the executive
in the way of proclafming through treaties
reductions or increases of duties upon i'm
ports, so as to facilitate reciprocity ar
rangements.
To Be Carried on Actively.
The propaganda for revision and for a
tariff commission is to be carried on ac-
lively through the press and other recog-
nized methods Of publicity during the COM
ing session Of Congress and thereafter.
This associations efforts will be in oppo-
sition to the campaign of the American
Protective Tariff League, which is also
composed of manufacturers, but which
represents the extreme high protective
tariff idea.