The Detroit times., 1909-04-12
KILL TARIFF BILL,
Says la TOILETTE
Wisconsin Senator Will Introduce
Bill To Create Commission To
Consider Tariff.
BY GIBSON GARDNER.


: WASHINGTON. d. c., April 12.-
The defeat OF the Payne ?Aldrich tariff
bill-because IL reyises tariff upward
instead Of downward-and the crea-
ton OF a tariff commission. is what
Senator Robt. NJ. LaFollette will try
TO bring about.
The entire impossibility of having
any rational adjustment of the tariff
by the methods which are now being
employed Is being clearly demonstrate
ed" said Senator LaFollette. Bust
ness Is held up while this tariff bin
IL talked about, and tn eleaders urge
that no one intcrpose anything which
may appear like q dilatory action lest
business be unnecessarily halted. Yet
there Is not time for any member OF
either branch Of congress TO find out
,sactually what this tariff bill contains.
Much less Is there time to find out the
principles In accordance with which
the tariff rates are or ought TO be ad-
justed.
The whole scheme is wrong And
there is every indication that congress
Is not acting in good faith. Ii would
be easy. for example. to obviate this
Ensettlement OF business by providing
that the new tariff law would not take
effect for IL months after it's passage.
This would give the business OF the
country ample time 10 adjust Itself TO
the new conditions.
But the authors OF this bill are us
ing every effort TO cram the measure
down the peoples throats. and the
less they know about It the better II
would seem the authors OF the bill will
be pleased"
Will Introduce Bills.
As a substitute for the Aldrich-
Payne bill, Senator LaFollette will
OFFER, at the proper time. a bill To
create a commission OF nine tariff ex-
perts to be appointed by the presi-
dent, subject TO the approval of the
senate. The terms of this commission
would be from three TO IL years from
the date OF their appointment and
their successors would be appined
each for term OF ten years
No senator's OF representatives
would be eligible for appointment.
No two commissioners could be resi-
dents of the same judicial circuit
Not more than five could DE members
OF the same political party. One
would be required to have a practical
knowledge OF the manufacturing in
duSfry: one OF agriculture; one of
import business. one would be a rep
resentatiye of labor: one OF special
tariff lawyer; one student Of domes-
tic and foreign tariffs Hnd commercial
reciprocity; one an expert on cost OF
production and accounting; one
trained statistician: and one an emf
nent economist. who has made a spe-
cial study OF wages and cost OF living.
Commissioners would draw salaries az
the rate OF $4,000 year.
This tariff commission provided for
by the LaFollette bill would be
charged with the duty OF revising
tariff schedules in accordlnance with
the principles set out in the RepuD-
lican national PLATFORM principle
likewise Endorsed by the Democratic
organization. The difference between
the cost OF production at home ard
abroad is the difference which ought
to determine the tariff according to
the party declarations. This difference
is merely a matter of fact which can
be determined by inquiry. Congress
is without these facts. To secure
them is no small task. But II IL
task which only body OF experts
could possibly perform. In this fash
Ion all ClV1llZeu SOiNC thC
problem. The LaFollette law would
give power to this commission TO make
Inquiries. TO summon manufacturers
and importers and TO copel the pro
duction OF books and papers. II would
also have the power to make inquiries
abroad.
President Would Have power.
wher the commission had determin-
ed the difference in cost OF produc-
ton at home and abroad and had thus
determined what would be the proper
tariff on any particular manufactured
product the commission would be en-
powered to report to the president
who would have powed 10 Immediately
put this tariff into erect by proclama-
ton.
The I.aFollette commission would
be required to begin their inquiry with