The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-19
Manufacturers Talk Of FaiIings
Of Tariff Measure
REVISION IS DESIRED
Association Goes on Record In Report
of Tariff Committee That Tariff
Must Be Adjusted But Not
Necessarily Cut Down.

New York. May 1s.-Tariff technicalities
almost involved the National Association
of Manufacturers in a wrangle this aft
erhoon after the report of the commit
tee on the tariff and reciprocity by its
chairman, II. &. Miles Of Racine, wis.
Discussion followed, during which e. H.
Dean of indianapolis declared that at
is most unfortunate that the question
of tariff revision should be enforced on
the association He said he objected to
a general lowering of duties and did
not look with favor on the creation OF
permanent tariff commission. "Such
body" he said, would only prolong ma
tional anxiety and draw fat salaries .
The report was finally adopted with the
recommendation that the association go
on record as favoring tariff adjustment,
but not necessarily tariff reduction.
Free Trade Demanded.
In an address entitled "The Open Door
of Opportunity" S. l. Scudder of the
International Banking association of New
York, urged the association to demand
of Congress free trade with the Philip
pineAand Porto Rico.
Thomas Durham spoke on Desirable
improvements In Interstate Trade" He
attacked the eccentricities of legislation
in certain states, saying that '1t seems
that this has almost become part of
the public mind and anything that can
be done by the average legislator TO op-
press a manufacturer seems to strike a
popular chord in public opinion"
In conclusion he said: "It seems that
any laws that affect the trade relations
between the manufactures of the various
states is clearly an attempt to regulate
interstate commerce which can only be
dene by the federal Congress The ten
dency of these laws is to localize busi-
ness and TO build certain restriction,
or to, in a measure, protect the local
manufacturer
The report of the committee on mer-
chant marine was read, urging that the
following resolution be passed:
Resolved, That the association recon-
mend to Congress the passage of bill
like that under consideration in the last
Congress, and advocated by President
Taft, providing for sufficient postal COM
pensation to establish a swift and reg
ular service among the steamship service
to the countries of South America, the
ports of Japan, China and the Philip
pines.'
VanCieave Protests.
President VanC1eave protested against
the possibility of special legislation in
favor of organized labor pleading for
he
legislation would constitute a menace to
the country's welfare. The coming ses-
sion of Congress would seem a particu-
larly favorable time to the labor leaders
for the urging OF legislation to legalze
picketing and the boyvott, Mr.. VanCleave
declared, because both parties would be
particularly anxious to control the next
House.
"Reverses in the middle of a presden-
tial term" said the speaker, usually
mean that the opposing party Will elect
the next President. In all such canvasses
there is always powerful temptation for
the politicians in both parties to make
promises and concessions to all sorts of
elements with the hope of winning or re-
tanning votes"
Reviewing the fight of the National AS
sociation of Manufacturers against class
Legislation" Mr.. VanCleave urged neces-
sity of further precautions. Financial
confidence Is reviving and there is an i'm
provement In most of the important lines
of trade, he said "Unwise labor egis-
lation, however could quickly check this
trade uplift Here is a direct peril from
the programme which the American
Federation of Labor leaders propose to
resume before the legislature during the
coming winter"
Mr.. VanCleave said that the prospects
for the establishment of tariff commits
sion by the present Congress were good
in his belief if the manufacturers of the
nation did their part in urging the plan
upon the Lawmakers at Washington.