The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-16


opening session in Tomlinson's hall
this morning, Governor Thomas r.
Marshall and Mayor c. A. Booltwalt-
er, making the welcoming speeches.
There was no objection 10 the organ
ization program, placing james w.
Van Cleve in permanent charge of the
convention as chairman, those who
are known to be opposed to Van
Cleve either not being present or not
caring to risk a fight on organiza-
tion. From appearances, however,
the stand patters, who are opponents
of Van Cleve are not remaining for
the sessions and are leaving Indian
apors. They evidently decided on
doing so when informed that the
privilege of the floor would not be
accorded them.
In addressing the convention as its
chairman, Mr.. Van Cleve spoke as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen OF the National Tariff
Commission Convention:
"A question which touches the welfare
the country very closely has called us
together at lndiana's capital today.
As a proof that this issue has n large
concern for the United states as
whole | see before me representatives
of industrial and commercial organ
izations from New York to San Fran
cisco, from Chicago to New Orleans,
and from Portland, Maine, to Port
land Oregon. We are here to give
concrete expression to the demand OF
the business men OF the country for
the establishment of a permanent,
non-partisan, impartial tariff COM
mission TO gather the facts and TO
frame the report on which Congress
can base the tariff adjustments which
are necessary from time TO time.
And | am glad to tell you that in
voicing this demand President-eleCt
Taft stands with us. Bear in mind
always that we are not discussing
lowering or raising any particular
schedules.
This is neither the place nor the
time for an academic discussion OF
the relative merits and demerits of
protection and free trade. A few
weeks hence President Taft will call
Congress in session to revise the
tariff. In the work of revision two
things ought to be kept in mind
protection for all the producers who
need any protection, and revenue for
the government. These things are
not necessarily antagonistic. An in
telligent tariff adjustment would fur
nish both. Therefore free traders and
ultra protectionists are equally inter-
ested in getting this sort OF an ad-
justment.
BY our present tariff framing ma
chinery we cannot make this sort Of
an adjustment OF the schedules be-
cause
Cd Like mankind in general most
of the persons consulted by the
Ways and Means Committee in franz
ing tariff measures are selfish, and
thus are biased in the interest of
their own industry.
knowledge 10 enable It to detect eX-
travagance or distortion in the wit
nesses' statements.
CD Even II the committee had the
knowledge II lacks the time to make
the inquiry on which IT could correct
them.
(4) The committee Is partisan, as
II always and necessarily is, under
Democratic as well as under Repub-
lican sway.
Ii is the system OF tariff framing
and not the individual members Of
the Ways and Means Committee or Of
Congress that Is to blame. But, in
dividually and collectively, Congress
will be 10 blame unless It abolishes
the system, and gives us the one
which is proposed by the great bust
ness organization OF the country. We,
as the representatives of the busi-
ness men of the East and West, the
North and South, are here today to
give practical voice TO this demand.
And while here we are likely TO say
and do things which will constrain
Congress to listen, and to heed
In no important operation would
any great business enterprise pro-
ceed in the haphazard manner which
Congress follows in revising the tar
in, And yet the United States gov
ernment is the biggest and wealth.
lest corporation in the world. The
adjustment of the tariff is an opera
tion which, directly or indirectly,
affects the prices of almost every
commodity produced or imported by
nearly 10000 900 of people, which de-
termines the volume OF domestic
trade Of $3O,00O,OO 900 annually and
foreig ntrade OF So 900 900 900, and
which retards or promotes the welfare
of every one OF those 10000 900 per-
sons.
When railway company plans TO
build a new road or an exte nsion OF
a road It employs engineers to mark
OUT line, or a choice OF lines,
which would be advisable to follow,