New-York tribune., 1909-02-17
A TARIFF COMMISSION
URGE NON-PARTISAN BODY
Present System Outgro10", Sag
Sneakers at Contention.


speaker in the first national tariff commission con
vention vigorously denounced the present 1aiill
and the method Of its construction
That the present tariff system has been outsfown.
ana that the United States fingers decades penli'o
the scientific methods OF European countries was re-
peated almost as often q speaker addresseu
the delegates That the prompt estaohshnlenl % -
non-partisan tariff commission was the ohiy
remedy for present conditions was repeated ss
often. "A.
On the nature Of the commission Whe'het ~
should be a permanent bureau and an adjunct 20
the Department of Commerce and LABOR an az
pointive commission, composed of experts ohls
or body of business men empowered 70 ei'sas I5s
EXPERTS the speakers differed as apparenuy ulu
the delegates but OF the urgent need Ior 1t 'i'oi
seemed dispute - 49,
! W. Van Cieave of St Louis, president OF the
National Association of Manufactures who was
made the permanent chairman of the gatherins'
aroused the first enthusiasm by asserting tilat ~
tariff must be taken out Of partisan poiluCs' IN
gresham Fowler, Of New Jersey, who is spoleoi
for the Reveridge Commission bill now before Con-
gress caused a demonstration when he asseI'eo
that the tariff must cease to be the tootOah u
political parties -
The attendance was not large as had oeeh
hoped for by the officials. but it more than mace
amends for the lack OF numbers by the enthusiasm
displayed Many delegates are expecIeu '"
arrive tomorrow and local interest Will De Arousou
by the presence OF Senator Beveridge as the prih
cipal speaker -,
More than one hundred members of the National
Association of Manufacturers cheered j W. van
Cleave he took the gavel HIS emphauc ue0
laration that the convention was not hteres'e4
the raising lowering OF any particular scleu-
ues nd that President Taft was in line with
the purposes of the gathering preceded vigorous
dealing with the question OF the necessity for
tariff commission. He said in part:
BY our present tariff framing machinery we can
not make this sort of an adjustment OF the scheo-
% Like mankind in general. most Of the persons
consulted by the ways and Means Committee IN
bIaFsed in If the interest Of their own industry
~ The committee lacks the knowledge 70 enaoie
nesses' statements. .
80 Even if the committee had the knowledge: it
lacks time make the inquiry on when II
"a The COMMITTEES is partisan as IT always and
necessarily is. under Democratic as well as under
Republican sway
1t is the system of tariff framing. and not the In
divdual members of the Ways and Means Commit
tee or Of congress that is to 6ame m put n6l11o ao
unless it abolshes the system and gives US the
izatons Of the counfry We as the representatiyes
Of the business men OF the East ana nv. MHs'; Lf
voice 10 this demand And while here we are likely
TO say and 10 things which will constrain Congress
TO listen and 10 heed
some Of our critics say that TqI8 t9r
Germany and France have permanent commissions
Has any OF our critics ever heard or read that me
recommendations Of those commissions ever unset
tied trade over there? think not. .,- <...-
from business arrangement Manfestly, changes
based the report Of a board Of Impartial. cape,
honest. on the other hand changes, by the present
tar tsGT IraTnnE aal nere.s br the ciamor of
locality. and the desire-the very natural desire
the primaries and at the polls. Why. We are told
that every schedule is a compromise or trade;
try: Congress is to he called in special session
few ~Ss hPee 2 r9Ttse tse pTomed h B
the election and since the Republican candidate
honest sane tarir rev,sion-s tariff adjusted to he
existing trade conditions abroad as well as at
howe Tho 4irleT n a Is
Tie business men of the country demand the es
tablish1nent OF tarin commission composed of
bread gauge impartial men who are CAPABLE ot
the OF the American people, can think ana
ect in a large way: ...,. 49,.
,,-isson could not now do the work quick enough
which the session will be called upon to per
make the changes IN the duties which It believes 70
6e most uFsey o1yoission ni Bill mn5 then 60 home
All this ought not 10 take more than sixty days
date would be kept. Thus also the business dis
turbauces would end specify Fresiaent I at Ia,t
would then have an early opportunity 10 appoint
the commission. That body could make The inyes.
IN the regular session hence. or in a subse-
qqent session could base the rarG az a1Vgeens efes
Of it's workers and the prosperity OF the entire peo-
pie demand
Ex-Governor Guild. Of Massachusetts; Senator
Brown Of Nebraska and Congressman Rsnsdell.
OF louisiana gave the varying points Of view OF
their sections That there little conflict.
on minor points indicated by their speeches
Mr. Guild spoke his thoughts plainly concerning
the combination of Chicago packers, the duty on
hides and the alleged victmizing OF the American
farmer. He said I'm part;
have been asked to address you on the subject
Of permanent tariff commission a means for
tsr the az nn oen obvaes e need o
arglrnept 1 hope this convention will not adjourn
exactly what kind Of tariff commission is pro-
posed. how it is 10 be appointed and just what
The present tariff is outgrown. speak as a
most Vt RS hes eSo to Fs Re on as and mess
may be able at once to obtain. ANY question of
modern tariff be prepared at once by this pres
ent Congress II bet better that the the new tarif
Immediate consideration Of this question should be
further evaded or postponed
Any commission proposed or appointed must Of
the present Congress has reaped the field now
white for the harvest
in s BODY to ake the psee P rs
e2een1e i1e bqa6t Of e any 6 5s r,te o
states; Tarins in the future, as in the past. will
1t is an admitted fact however. that beneficial
injurious in general way. tariff ever framed
has been free from inequalities and inconsisten-
II is now proposed that impartial body of
versed in Industry and commerce, shall he
appointed a permanent body by the President
1t is proposed that this commission shall not only
give hearings TO interested parties who may have
information on this subject which they believe
should receive attention at the hands of the ma
tional government but that the commission shall
tions as affected by tariff law and report to the
government and 10 the public neither opinions
It may be objected that a President could not he
trusted to appoint impartial II this objec-
tion sound. it could be met by causing the
terms of office of the commissioners TO expire In
appointment of the original commission
trust absolutely and implicitly to the judicial
perament the abounding honesty. the love of fair
play and the common sense of William H. Taft.