New-York tribune., 1908-02-05
REVISION NEXT WINTER
no COMMISSION NOW.
Speaker Cannon and Chairman
Payne Make Tariff Policies Public.

Payne Make Tariff Policies Public.
Washington. Feb. 4.-The present Congress
will not appoint tariff commission. Revision
Of the tariff will be undertaken next winter in
the short term. These announcements, in sub
stance, were made to-day by Chairman Payne
of the House Committee on Ways and Means
In the presence and with the tacit approval of
Speaker Cannon The occasion was the call upon
those leaders by tariff revision delegation from,
various parts of the country, comprising repre-
sentatives of many of the biggest manufacturing z
and Industrial concerns in the United States and
headed by James W. Van Cleave, of st. Louis,
president of the National Association of Manu-
facturers: Ex-Governor y. J. Batcheider of
New Hampshire and H f. Miles, of Racine.
Wis. chairman of the tariff committee of the
National Association OF Manufacturers.
The delegation arrived in Washington yesterday
and organized last night at the New Willard Ho-
tel. To-day the visitors called at the White House
and paid their respects to the President. Later
they went TO the Capitol and were received IN
the Ways and Means room by Speaker Cannon
and Chairman Payne. There they spent more
than an hour, presenting their case and listening
to replies by the two foremost Republican lead
ers in the House which. while they were cor
daily couched. were practically a refusal of all
that the delegation had journeyed TO Washing
ton to plead for
URGING OF TARIFF COMMISSION.
In introducing the subject Of the appointment
of tariff commission in line with the Beveridge
bill. recently offered in the Senate, Mr.. Van
Cieave said the delegation unanimous in
the belief that "the matter of the tariff can be
best handled by the application of hard headed
business BILL" which would amend the tariff
schedules as to encourage the development of
foreign commerce by the producers of the
United states without at the same time expos
ing their goods to the reactionary effects of
free trade. He said it was the firm belief Of
the vast interests represented by the members
of the delegation that a wholesome revision of
the tariff could be best got at by commission
appointed to ascertain the costs ot domestic
productions. the relative profits derivable from
home and foreign sales and all the multtudinous
facts appertaining to so complex and important
a subject.
we want" he said, "and we believe can
truthfully state to you that the whole country
wants. sound and rational business considera-
ton of the subject, and believe after long
and earnest study Of the situation that the
suggestion of the appointment of tariff COM
mission to stand between and you-to receive
and weigh and formulate the mass of technical
information we have to offer and to then pre-
sent it to Congress in compact and intelligent
shape-embodies the best means of arriving at
that result.
Other speakers along these lines. each of
whom branched into concrete illustration Of his
points by stating the conditions existing in his
particular business. were A H. Saunders, repre-
senting the Reciprocity League Of Chicago and
a former commissioner TO the Paris exposition;
II. z. Miles. y. J. Batchelder. master of the
National Grange; s. H. Cowan, representing
the National Livestock Association and the
Cattle Raisers' Association Of Texas; q. A.
Stephens of Moline. IL, representing the Ma
tional Association of Agricultural Implement
and Vehicle Manufacturers; Mr.. Metcalf repre-
senting manufacturers of agricultural impe-
ments and ]. T. Wilder. representing the IL
linois Manufacturers Association and speaking
for the sole leather manufacturers of the coun-
try.
sneaker Cannon, interrupting Nj Metcalf
asked:
DO / understand that you favor on the part
NJ the United States even tariff with every
other country I'm the world, except that We shall
enforce our maximum tariff against such coun-
ries as discriminate against our exports-that
vou favor a minimum and maximum tariff, with
that application?
The answer was strongly affirmative.
Then" said the Speaker. Il am glad TO hear
your medicine, for that is precisely the KIND or
, tariff believe In myself
SPEAKER CANNoN's ADVICE.
IN his general answer to the statements Of
he delegation Mr.. Cannon spoke, in part, as
ollows
You saw the tariff ought TO be revised. You
nave virtually said that II ought to have been
,exfseJ the day il enacted-that it was
.rong I'm the beginning. Well ii not per
ect and il is not perfect now.
Protection. gentlemen. is with God, not with
anitv. and as our 90 900 900 Of people con-
titute sovereignty in this country, and can eX-
.rcise that sovereignty at the ballot box, they
Iiyide us into a najority and minority, so that
yhen Won come to enact legislation some party
,ac always been and always will beat least |
or q generation and sometimes for longer-re- |
nonsible for that legislation, and the other |
,arty VIII occupy the standpoint or critlclsii |
hat is as ii should be.
And now that the underbrush is cleared away, |
9 If were let US get TO the point. Let me sug- |
est that should the House pass such a tariff |
nmrnissfon bill you ask for, there Is no GER |
stnty OF what the Senate would do. In the |
enate there is previous question. There |
bree Senators can. by virtue of their right To |
n unlimited occupancy of the floor. hold up any |
leasure for as long as two. years without pos
ibility Of prevention.
We once. / remember had tariff commission,
nd am told that its report was so Voluminous
nat il was even read. 1t is one thing 10
AXE suggestions: ii is another thing 10 enact
Continued on fourth