The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-02-16
WANTS A TAR
|FF Commission
JOHN Nj. STAHL GIVES A
THOUGHTFUL ADDRESS ON
THE UNHEARD MAJORITY
SAYS TARIFF REVISION is
NEEDED.
(By Associated Press. J

were large number of delegates
present today at meeting of the Ma
tional Tariff Conference. One of the
best addresses made was that of Jno.
NJ. Stahl, of Chicago, former president
of the National Farmers Congress.
His Subject was 1.-The Unheard Ma
jority.'
"In advocating a tariff commits
sion,' said Mr.. Stahl, 81 wish, first
of all, most emphatically to disclaim
any criticism of members of congress
| that would impute to them unworthy
motives or accuse them of ignorance
or unintelligence. The faults in our
tariffs can be laid at the door of con-
gress only to the extent that it has
resisted changes in the methods of
making tariffs, changes that we be-
lieve would result in a 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 be considered logically in
the preparation of a wise and just
tariff A tariff commission could
put before congress in such form
that it could be easily understood
60 fhat II
be rightly used to form a sane tariff.
Because we have so far made
our tariffs without tariff commits
sion is no reason why we should
continue to do so,' said the speaker,
land there may be progress in franz
| ing tariffs as in other things. Other
nations have made use of tariff COM
missions, and we must confess that
they have framed tariffs that do not
contain as many inconsistencies and
Inequalities as our own"
Mr.. Stahl condemned the methods
| by which tariffs have been framed,
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: cit is in behalf of
the unheard majority of the Ameri-
can people that we would plead for a
/ 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 monarchical, contrary to
our scheme of government, abhorent
to the spirit of democracy and JUS
tice supposed to animate the Ameri-
can people. A tariff commission
would make possible a tariff in &C
cord with out form of government
and our political ideas atariff of
the people, by the people, for the
people.
"And certainly it is appropriate
that a farmer should present the
case of the majority, for farmers
constitute the most important part
of that majority. We are more nu-
merous than any other class. OF all
classes, we are the greatest produc-
ers 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. Because of this we
feel especially the need of commits
sion that would give our business as
producers and our claims as consum-
ers, fair consideration; that would
not consider only the facts presented
to it forcibly and shrewdly by able
men, but the facts presented by
working men and farmers and even
the facts not presented to it; COM
mission that would itself seek out
the facts until it had all of them.
And while we plead for such COM
mission for ourselves, we plead for
it in behalf of every unit of the great
unheard majority. We have in mind,
not only farmers, but every class.
We do not want tariff to favor far
mers at the expense of others, but
tariff that will be just and helpful
to every legitimate industry and ev-
ery honest man.