The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-02-17
TARIFF FIXERS
HEAR BEVER|DGE
Senator Tells the Convention at Ind
annapolis a New Tariff viii Be
Made Soon.
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
indianapolis. Ind, Feb 17-The
following is an abstract of the speech
delivered today by Senator Albert J.
Beveridge at the tariff convention be-
ing held in this city
Within less than four months a new
tariff will have been made hope and
believe it will be the best tariff that
congress ever has constructed. 1t
will be historic in this: that it will be
the last American tariff created with
out the aid of a tariff COMMISSIONS
commission to get facts and make
classifications for congress; and not
to fix duties, which is the exclusive
business of congress.
Immediate revision must not be de-
layed until a tariff commission is
created and has made necessary inves-
legations and arranged ecientific classi-
fications-that would require at least
two years and ought to take a longer
period. So, for the last time, we must
have tariff builded in the old way
But this shall be the last tariff thus
builded, we must soon provide com
mission of tariff experts The present
emergency never must be faced again
Tariff Building on Business Basis.
Heretofore, both parties have build
ed our tariffs without sufficient know
ledge of the facts, without scientific
classification of schedules Both par
ties, whether framing a so-called rev
enue tariff or protective tariff have
handled this intricate subject in a
way which would have crippled any
business man or corporation handling
their enterprises in the same fashion.
Both parties have waged campaigns
as to whether our tariff policy should
be on the protective or revenue basis,
work preparatory to revision has been
delayed until the people have ordered
Immediate revision; and so, finally,
new tariff has been rushed through
without time or ability to get the facts
without either the technical know
ledge or scientific skill to make classi-
fications.
Other Commissions for Less important
Subjects.
Except upon the tariff, congress has
seen the wisdom of commission of ex-
perts to examine all sorts of subjects
and report to congress. Yet the tariff
is more difficult, intricate and far
reaching than all other present econ
0mic problems combined excepting
only the problem of currency and
banking. In currency and banking
has acknowledged that it can
not wisely legislate until a commits
sion shall have spent years in study
ing our own chaos of financial laws
and the monetary systems of other
nations
Congress created the bureau of cor
DOratiOns for this purpose. After
years of thorough work by this bureau |
no man in any party proposes to de-
strOy 1t or stop its labors The same |
is equally true of the bureau of labor |
Congress created the industrial com
mission and those in the interstate |
commission resulted in the |
aw for the department of commerce |
md labor, the rate law, the immigra-
ion law and most of the reform laws
u the last six or seven years.
Tariff Commission Of 1882.
The tariff commission of 1882 de-
lised and recommended the most inn
)ortant features Of our present tariff
administration. 1t originated the ap-
)raiser's court; and recommended
most of the administrative tariff laws
If the treasury department which have
since been adopted. Congress provid-
I'd for the administrative machinery
designed by this traiff commission
But the tariff commission we ask
or now does not go SO far as the tariff
commission of 1882 went We are
low asking only a commission of ex-
,erts to find out facts and make class
fcations, Congress is to fix duties
rom these facts and adjust them to
hese classificatoins.
A permanent tariff commission is in
because committees of con
.ress cannot do the work These COM
nittees attempt to find out the facts
y holding hearings. At the hear
ngs' crowds of men representing var
Gus industries desirous of special
ates of duty, jam the committee room
Zach one of them is carefully prepar-
d upon mis- own particular business
f necessity he is far better prepared
han the whole committee put togeth-
r. Very few witnesses appear before {
he committee representing the great
ody of consumers.
These hearings are rushed through I
18th all possible speed. because the {
ountry's business necessarily waits
ntil the new tariff law is passed. Af-
ar these brief hearings. the commit
e supposed to digest such facts as ]
he bulky volumes of such testimony