The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-02-17
THE TARIFF
CONFERENCE

Indianapolis, Ind. Feb. 16-John NJ.
Stahl, OF Chicago, was one of the
speakers at the National Tariff Con-
ference. His subject was THE In
heard Majority"
In advocating a tariff commission,
said Mr.. Stahl, q wish, first OF all,
most emphatically to diSclalm any
criticism of members of congress that
would impute to them unworthy mo-
tives or accuse them of ignorance or
unintelligence. The faults in our tar
ifs can be laid at the door of con-
gress only to the extent that it has re-
sisted changes in the methods of max
ing tariffs changes that we believe
would result in better tariff.
Our tariffs have been faulty, Mr..
Stahl said, because it is not possible
for members of congress TO dig out,
arrange, systematic and digest the
very many facts and circumstances
that must ibe considered, and be con-
sidered logically in the preparation
of wise and just tariff. A tariff COM
mission could put before congressman
in such form that they could be easily
understood and logically used the
facts that must be rightly used 20
form a sane tariff.
Because we have so far made our
tariffs without tariff commission IS
no reason why we should continue to
do so,' said the speaker. There may
be progress in framing tariffs, as in
other things. Other nations have
made use of tariff commissions, and
we must confess that they have
framed tariffs that do not contain as
many inconsistencies and inequalities
as our OWL"
Mr. Stahl condemned the methods
by which our tariffs have been franz
ed, and said that very rarely, if ever,
is any organization of farmers or OF
city workingmen represented at the
hearings before the ways and means
committee of Congress.
He continued: 1t is in behalf of
the unheard majority and large majo-
rity of the American people that we
would plead for tariff commission.
Such commission would have time to
hear all classes and all industries. AS
tariffs are framed now, the rich and
powerful are heard and considered.
Present and past methods, which hear
and consider the few and strong, are
in their nature monarchial, contrary
to our scheme of government, abhor-
ent to the spirit of democracy and
Justice supposed to animate the Anne
rican people A tariff commission
would make possible tariff in accord
with our form of government and our
political ideas-a tariff of the people,
by the people, for the people.
"And certainly it is appropriate that
a farmer should present the case of
the unheard majority, for farmers con
scitute the most important part of
that majority. We are more numer-
Gus than any other class. Of all class
es, we are the greatest producers
and the greatest consumers. Yet we
have found that as tariffs have been
framed there was very little time or
disposition to consider us in adjusting
duties. Excuse of this we feel espec-
tally the need of a commission that
would give our business as producers
and our claims as consumers, for con-
sideration; that would not consider
only the facts presented to it forcibly
and shrewdly by able men, but the
facts presented by workingmen and
farmers, and even the facts not pre-
scented to it; commission that
would itself seek out the facts until
it had all of them. And while we
plead for such a commission for our
selves, we plead for it in behalf of ev.
cry unit of the great unheard majority
We have in mind, not only farmers
but every class. We do not want