The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-09

due. which might have been recovered by
civil suit against the beneficiary of fraud,
but there was an express reservation In
the contract Of settlement by which the
settlement should not interfere with. or
prevent the criminal prosecution of every
one who was found to be subject TO the
same
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
ing against number of the government
officers. LII would seem to me that an
investigation of the frauds by Congress
at present. pending the probing by the
treasury department and the department
of justice, as proposed. might by giving
immunity and otherwise prove an, en-
barrassment in securing conviction Of the
guilty parties.
The New TariG LAW.
Two features of the new tariff act call
for special reference. By virtue of the
clause known as the MA ximum and Min
iInum clause, IL is the duty of the exec
utive to consider the laws and practices
of other countries with reference to the inn
portation into those countries of the prod
ucts and merchandise of the United
States, and If the executive finds such laws
and practices not to be unduly discrin-
inatory against the United States. the
minimum duties provided i'm the bill are
to go into force. Unless the President
makes such a finding. then the maximum
duties provided i'm the pill, that is, an in
crease of % per cent ad valorem over the
has been expressed that this power con-
ferred and duly imposed on the executive
Is likely to lead TO a tariff war | beg TO
express the hope and belief that no such
result need be anticipated.
The discretion granted TO the Executive
by the terms "unduly discriminatory is
wide. In order that the maximum duty
shall be charged against the imports from
country, il is necessary that he shall
find on the part of that country not only
determinations in its laws or the practice
under them against the trade of the Unit
ed States, but that the determinations
found shall be undue that is without
good and fair reason. i conceive that this
power was reposed i'm the President with
the hope that the maximum duties might
never be applied in any case. but that
the power to apply them would enable the
President and the state department
through friendly negotiation to secure the
elimination from the laws and the prac-
tice under them OF any foreign country
of that which is unduly discriminatory.
No one is seeking tariff war or a con-
dition in which the spirit of retaliation
shall be aroused.
The new tariff law enables me to APP
point n tariff board 10 assist me i'm con-
nection with the department of state in
the administration of the minimum and
maximum clause of the act and also to
assist officers of the government i'm the
administration OF the entire law. An ex-
animation of the law and an understand
ing of the nature of the facts which
should be considered i'm dischargins the
functions imposed upon the executive show
that | have the power to direct the tariff
board to make a comprehensive glossary
and encyclopedia of the terms used and
articles embraced i'm the tariff law. and
to secure information to the cost of
production of such goods i'm this country
and the cost of their production in foreign
countries. / have therefore appointed a
tariff board consisting of three members
and have directed them to perform all the
duties above described.
War and Navy Departments.
In the interest of immediate economy
and because of the prospect of deficit l
have required reduction i'm the estimates
of the war department for the coming fis-
cal year. which brings the total esti-
mates down to an amount $40. zoe, 900 less
than the corresponding estimates for last
year. The secretary of war calls attan-
ton to a number of needed changes in the
army, i'm all of which concur. The coast
defenses of the United States proper are
generally all that could be desired. and
in some respects they are rather more
elaborate than under present conditions
are needed to stop an enemyS feet from
entering the haroors defended The mill
tary and naval joint board have unani-
mously agreed that il would be unwise
to make the large expenditures which at
one time were contemplated in the estab-
lishment of naval base and station in
the Philippine islands. and have expressed
their judgment, i'm which / fully concur
in favor of making an extensive naval
base at Pearl harbor. near Honolulu, and
not i'm the Philippines.
This does not dispense with the neces-
sitv for the comparatively small appro-
Driations required to finish the proper
coast defenses in the Philippines now un-
der construction on the island of Correg-
idor and elsewhere or to complete a suit
able repair station and coalng supply sta
ton at Olongapo. where is the floating
dock Dewey. l hope that this recon-
mendation of the joint board will end the
discussion as to the comparative merits of
Manila bay and Olongapo as naval sta
tions and will lead TO prompt measures
for the proper equipment and defense of
Pearl harbor.
The return of the battleship fleet from
its voyage around the world in more eff
cient condition than when ii started, was
a noteworthy event of interest alike to
our citizens and the naval authorities of
the wc,ld. Besides the beneficial and far
reaching effect on our personal and diplo-