Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-02-12
FACTS ESSENTIAL
TO TARIFF FIXING
SENATOR sEVERlDeE PLEADS
FOR COMMISSION PLAN AND
EXPERT KNOWLEDGE
SIGNIFICANT COMPARISONS AND
Inconsistencies ARE Elk
POSED TO VIEW

Washington. Feb, 6-"The tariff is
fixed by facts; how to get at these
facts is the first question in the whole
tariff problem. Common sense and
experience answer that question; we
should create body OF experts to
find out these facts for us. These
men should be the iittest men that can
be found for this work; they should
give their whole time TO this work and
lay before US the result of their work
So said Senator Albert ]. IBeyeridgo
in the senate yesterday when urging
the adoption of his plan for a tariff
commission.
IF we thought il wise for the presl-
dent TO send a commission TO find OUT
the facts in so simple a matter as a
strike at Goldfeld, said Senator Bey-
cudge if it is wise in litigation for a
chancellor to appoint special exam
liners and commiss ones to find out
and report the facts in single cases; a
the senate directs the bureau of cor
porations TO find out the facts about
the doings of single trust in a single
branch of its activities; If congress
creates a body of men TO find out the
facts about any great business which
the president thinks should be investi-
gated, and il its work is so wise that
no man in any party asks that that
work be stopped--how much wiser
aud more necessary is the same plan
as to our tariff, which is more impor-
tant. more intricate. more difficult than
all these other things put together.
IF we provide experts TO find out
the facts about things which have to
do with only lew OF the people, how
naueh more should we provide experts
to find out the facts about a thing
which has to do with all the people
If we take such measures to learn the
truth about matters which are easy
to learn. how much more should we
take similar measures to find out the
truth about a matter that is hard 70
learn"
Mr.. Beveridge argued that the appli.
cation of mathematical rule In the
making of tariff rates was not the
right way to arrive at Justice To
this point he cited:
win anyone contend that a simp,p
article like nails should have the
same rate as an electric dynamo?
is there any logic in c'assing but
tons and stoves together?
""should bullets and buggies, should
automobiles and bnll's-eye lanterns
pay the same duty2
Are farm implements ard gold
boxes in the same class?
is there an; connection between
I carriages and dress trimmings
Is Their any reason why cannon
for va, and crosses for chg ches
should be classified alike?
"Yrt all these are IN the same
classification and pay the same rates;
r at more absurd than this is the fact
that they are put In the same c3assin-
cation by the appraisers and the courts
passing on each article because con.
gress did not classify them at all No
hody knew what duties these articles
would have to pay until the guess q
the appraisers and the courts filled up
the holes in the law
Compared with the scientific, clear.
accurate classification Of the German
schedules, for instance, our classified.
tions are confused. uncertain. chaotic.
THE German classification reduces con
fusion and doubt TO the minimum; our
classification raises confusion and
doubt to the maxiPum"