New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-23
THE TARLFF BOARD.

1t has been said by those unfriendly
to the Tariff Board authorized by the
Payne bill that the provision was rushed
through Congress without proper discus
sion, that there is no reason for the eX-
tensive functions which the President
las delegated TO the board, and, finally,
that Congress, through its cOnferrees, so
circumscribed the powers of the board
as TO make illegal its investigation of
costs of production here and abroad
Taking up the last objection first, it may
be said that so interested was the Pres
icent in the fate of this provision that
he requested his Attorney General to
watch its progress through Congress,
and when he signed the bill was in pos
session of a legal opinion from Mr..
Wickersham asserting that the word
ing Of the law bestowed upon the board
ample authority 10 make all the inves-
LEGATIONS desired by the Executive and
since outlined by him.
While it is true that there was no ex-
tensive discussion of the provision upon
the floor of Congress during the recent
session, there was abundant discussion
in committee, and If Senators and Rep
resentatives failed TO express their views
In public debate they have only them
selves TO blame. However, it is further
true that such project was somewhat
widely discussed when the Dingley bill
was under consideration. Senator
SpOOner then offered an amendment pro-
viding that three Of the general ap-
Y,,.o fcarc nor moro thor, 4-r-r, &c 4Io,,, 70
be Of the same party, should conduct.
on designation by the Secretary Of the
Treasury just such investigations as
the President purposes to require Of the
new board. Mr.. SpOoner's amendment
was lost not because Congress seemed
20 disapprove of it, but because Senator
Allen, Of Nebraska, making the predlc-
ton that by 1900 twO-thirds of the
voters Of the United States would
muster and march under the banner Of
''POpulism," insisted that the amend
ment be so amended as TO provide for
a POpulist member. To this Mr..
Spooner refused to consent, and finally,
at the instance Of Senator Allison, he
withdrew his amendment TO save time.
The importance Of creating such a
commission and of securing indisputable
facts regarding the tariff schedules Mr..
SpOOner outlined in terms as fOrcefuI as
those used by Mr.. Taft when he told
the Senate leaders that provision for
tariff commission was essential to his
approval of the tariff bin. How many
'men are there in the Senate so fully
advised of the details and with accu-
rate information, essential to proper
Judgment. that they can intelligently
debate the various items Of this billy"
inquired the Sen1tor from Wisconsin,
and he added: II have read with the ut
most care the hearings before the Ways
"and Means Committee Of the House OF
Representatives Those hearings are
utterly unsatisfactory. There is no
careful cross examination, but the
statements are mainly those OF inter-
tested parties-the manufacturers on
''the one side, and the importers on the
''other."
Mr.. SpOoner then went on with his
usual lucidity TO outline the situation in
Congress as II existed then. and as IL
exists tO-day-schedules so intricate that
only very few understood their pro-
visions or their effect, no basic facts on
which TO legislate, no information not
open TO question, an almost complete
Ignorance Of the facts essential to intel
ligent legislation. His amendment pro-
posed that the tariff board II created
should take up one schedule at a time,
analyze fl, ascertain costs of production
and make reports which should be sent
TO every member Of Congress, so that
when another revision became neces-
sary a majority rather than a very small
group should know the facts. Meeting
the objection that such reports would
tend 10 continuous revision" Mr..
spOOner said: 1T viii he a happy thing,
Il think, II the day shall come when
there will be, based on intelligent in