Bisbee daily review., 1908-01-14
TARIFF REFORM
Ply COM MISSION.

TARIFF REFORM
Ply COMMISSION.
Mr.. Bryan thinks tariff reform by
commission is impracticable, judging
from an editorial utterance in his
paper. While a tariff commission
could collect testimony. sufficient tes-
timony can be collected by the regu-
lar committees of congress to answer
all necessary purposes. In fact, it is
not necessary to spend great deal
of time taking testimony, for it is
a notorious fact that the present rate
of tariff duties is indefensible. The
main object of the taking testimony
in tariff controversies is not to in
form the public, but to prolong the
discussion and prevent action. Every
day means dollars to the benefciaries
of the tariff-so many dollars that
they can afford to fight for time, even
when sure of ultimate defeat. 1t is
not necessary to have a commission
of experts working for several years,
for anyone acquainted with the sub
ject can forecast the result If such
a commission is made up entirely of
protectionists the final report will be
unanimous and will be opposed to
material reduction except where the
manufacturers themselves have found
the tariff a hinderance instead of a
help. If the commission is made up
of both reformers and protectionists,
there will be two reports, and wheth-
er the commission submits one report
or two, the members of congress will
deal with the subject just as if there
had been no commission. Those who
are opposed to the taxation of the
many for the benefit of the few, I'M
der the guise of protection, will be
Just as much in favor of tariff reform
after the. experts report as before,
and tariff benefciaries just as clam
orous for a high tariff if the commits
sion reports in favor of its reform.
The commission plan, however hon
estly presented by Senator Beveridge,
is a delusion and a snare. If com
mission is appointed and the next
presidential election results in a vic
tory for those who believe in high
tariff, the report will not be likely to
receive serious consideration; if the
commission is appointed and the
presidential election results in the
election Of a majority in favor Of
tariff reform, tariff reform will come
regardless of the report of the com
mission. No republican president or
republican senate or republican house
can Tie Inc HfnuS VI a NSiAASSt i'NAN
successor. Just as no democratic pres
ident, senate OF house can tie the
hands of a republican successor. We
may as well, therefore. discard the
commission suggestion and proceed to
revise the tariff through the officials
authorized to make the revision. That
power cannot be delegated, or, if it
could be, it would not be-
One question remains; when should
the tariff be reformed? Senator Bey-
er.dge says after the election" There
have been several elections; why
have we not had tariff revision? We
needed tariff reform three years ago.
but when the president came in with
a large popular majority to his credit
the friends Of protection said that the
people had ratified the course Of the
marty and that it would be flying in
the face of the verdict to modify the
tariff. Now we are told that it would
Be unwise to disturb business Just
before the election. Some people re
gard the election as a disturbance.
and therefore, protest against any pro
longing of the disturbances by an after
the-election. change in the tariff sys-
tenn.