The Washington herald., 1909-07-08
ASKS BIPARTISAN
TARIFF COMMISSION
Senator Newlands DeplOres
Method of Investigation.
HURRY THROUGH SCHEDULES
Bill Referred to the Senate Finance
Committee and Reported Out With
In Two Days-SDeaker Opposed to
Abolition OF Duty on Filipino
Sugar and other Products.

Senator Newlands, Of Nevada made a
set speech on the tariff bin IN the Senate
yesterday. His remarks were intended
as criticism on the way IN which the
tari1 bill had been constructed. The
Senator said. among other things:
The method pursued by Congress IN
this revision OF the tariff was most un-
scientihc. The Dingley act contained Is
schedules. Al paragraphs. and 1900
items.
Tt was necessary 70 ascertain the DIFF
ferential as to each item No court would
have attempted this task OF ascertaining
facts without calling ia the aid OF a
master In chancery who would hear the
contentious and testimony OF the import
ers on one side and the domestic manu-
facturers on the other and render findings
OF fact. A tariff commission would have
been invaluable Tor this purpose, but
Congress. Jealous OF its powers. concluded
20 conduct the investigation without out
side aids.
The only semblance OF investigation
was made by the Ways and Means Com
mittee OF the House, whose hearings COW
cred Is volumes and 5000 pages.
simply a Compromise.
After the testimony was taken by this
bipartisan committee. in which both par
ties were represented. the Democrats were
excluded from the deliberations and the
Republican members alone acted as a tariff
commission, and reported TO the House
their findings as TO the differential. which
are contained in the Payne bill It IS not
pretended that these findings were even
approximately accurate. They represent
ed. not impartial determination OF fact,
but compromise and bargains.
The bill was adopted In the House
after eighteen days. and during that time
nearly 100 judges We're sitting upon the
question Of fact as 20 what the diheren-
tial was Then. under the rule, separate
votes were taken on only FIVE or six OF the
1900 items and the bill was disposed OF,
the only alternative being the acceptance
or rejection OF the bin. Under the cir
cumstances. no other course was possible.
Il would be impossible 10 picture the con-
fusion which would result from eonunu-
Gus debate and votes on each schedule.
paragraph. and item. and che efforts OF
nearly 400 members 10 reach correct con-
clusion.
When the bill came 10 the Senate Il
was referred 70 the Finance Committee
and reported two days afterward. with
out hearings. The Republicans OF the
Finance Committee organized themselves
into an unauthorized commission. hold
ing hearings IN executive session ana
1 reporting amendments. The chairman CT
4 the Finance Committee assumed n bold
and truculent attitude. contemptuous of
opposition and denuncIatory OF al sug-
! gestiOn OF reduction By the progressive
members OF his own party. as involving
an abandonment OF party loyalty and
treason 10 the protective principle.
No Presidential Advice.
at such a time the recommendation OF
the President OF the United States. exer-
cised in constitutional way, by mos
sage. would have been Of immense I'm
portauce. for doubtless the majority OF
the Republican members would have
preferred TO follow the President. who
was elected TO lead. rather than ths
I chairman OF the Finance Committee, who
was not elected 10 iead.
But what could the President recon-
mend? he had been in Office but forty
days The information necessary 10 en-
able him TO recommend specific reduc-
/ tiOns was not available. and no machin-
cry had been provided by which he
/ could ascertain the facts necessary 20
/ form g judgment as 10 desirable changes
/ IN tariff rates. The revision Of the Sen
ate has doubtless been upward. rather
than downward. and the evils Of exces-
/ sive tariff duties have been increased.
rather than diminished
1T IS true that some OF these eXcesses
may be corrected IN conference, and II
/ Is confidently expected that the infiu-
! ence Of the President VIII be exercised
/ there. but unless the conference volun-
| tarily places itself IN communication with
the President Il is difficult 10 see how
! he can exercise his power IN any const-
/ tutional way, and. unless he has made a
| study OF the schedules and IS prepared 20
| make specific recommendations. II is
difficult 10 see what good can be accom-
plished by his intervention. II ne Is pre-
! pared TO recommend specific reductions.
the time to present them Is by q message
after the bin is reported by the Senate
IN Committee OF the Whole 10 the Sen
ate itself"
Would Mean Reductions
7 feel assured that If the Republican
rule were fairly applied It would result
in a considerable reduction OF duties and
that much relief would come to the
country from il; ana I feel also assured
that If the American people were satisfied
that fair effort was being made 10 COM
ply with this rule. through some com
petent tribunal organized by Congress,
tariff agitation would practically end
The feeling now is that the rule Is not
being fairly applied; that the facts have
not been ascertained; and il seems TO me
! -
chamber might well unite IN such action
as Will result in a fair application Of
this rule"
! Expressing his desire TO see a bi-parti-
san tariff commission take up the work
/ Of a gradual revision of the whole tariff
/ question, Senator Newlands said:
las to the tariff experts whose employ
ment by the President is authorized,
1 regret that the bill does not explicitly
I organize a bipartisan tariff commission,
TO be appointed by the President. with
power TO ascertain the diherential called
/ for by the Republican platform. and with
power TO the President 10 reduce the du-
\ ties fixed by this act TO such differentiaI
Efforts have been made to improve this
provision IN this particular, but without
avail. The best that can be hoped for Is
that the President win appoint a capable
body OF experts. and that by a process Of
evolution It viii gradually become a tar
! in commission. with full power to act
under rule laid down by Congress-
/ Wants No Subsidies.
] One Of the interesting features Of Sena-
+! tor NewIands' speech in connection with
/ the insular possessions Of this govern
ment as 10 tariff revision applying TO the
4 Philippines was his opposition TO the aboli-
ton Of duties on Philippine sugar. to-
bacco. and other products, expressing the