New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-16
NOT FMASCULATED.

"Harper's Weekly i'm its issue for August II
seems 10 agree with The New York Times I'm
holding that the experts 10 be appointed by the
President under the provisions of the new
tariff law viii have no duties beyond assisting
The administration in deciding whether or not
a foreign country is unduly discriminating
against the commerce of the United States
According TO that view the enemies in Con-
gress Of a permanent tariff commission and
rational tariff revision based on complete in
formation 10 the differentials in co+ Of pro-
duction here and abroad succeeded in tying
the Executives hands when they revised in
conference the Senates amendment authoriz-
ing the appointment Of experts and defining
their functions. No doubt the emasculators
thought that they had safely shackled the tariff
board. Expressing their ideas. Senator Hale
said In the Senate with great positiyeness
that the language OF the amended section strict
ly liIpited the jurisdiction Of the board To in
Vestigating determinations against American
trade on the part Of foreign countries which
might require the enforcement against those
countries of the maximum schedule of the
Payne law. Mr.. Hale's remarks are considered
by "Haper's Weekly TO be entirely convincing
Accepting them at their face value. our friend
in Franklin Square says:
IL Senator Hale is right-and nobody but
Alorlch dlsagrees with him-the bill is thus de-
prived of its chief redeeming feature and the
viii OF the country is outrageOusly defied; for in
nothing has public opinion been clearer or more
unanimous than in the demand for a commits
sion TO get at the facts concerning the cost of
production Not merely has this new tariff law
been made In the dark, but the who made
the facts behind II, and have done all they can
TO insure that future tariffs shall also be made
I'm the dark.
II is however, far from the fact that nobody
but Aldrich" disagrees with Mr. Hale The
Tribune called attention on August TO Sena-
tor Aldrichs significant assurances TO Senator
Newlands and Senator Beveridge that the new
tariff board could, under the provisions of the
Payne law, inquire fully into the cost OF pro-
dnction at home and abroad Mr. Aldrich is
the last man in Congress TO be suspected Of not
knowing what the language of a tariff bill
means, and we were confident that he was
not mistaken when he said that the amended
provision was even broader than the original
one We do not see how Il could have es-
capped the notice Of "Harper's Weekly" that
president Taft has construed the tariff board
provisions of the new law Just as literally as
Mr.. Aldrich did, In his statement made on
the evening Of August .. after signing the
bin, Mr.. Taft said:
The authority TO the President 70 use aoor,s
TO assist him In the application of the minimum
ana maximum section of the statute and 10 en-
able oiilcials 20 administer the law gives a wide
latitude for the acquisition under circtrnsta nces
favorable TO its truth of information in resnect
20 the price and cost Of production of goods al
home and abroad. which will throw much light
on the operation OF the present tariff and be of
primary Importance as officially collected data
upon which future Executive action and Execu-
tive recommendations may be based
Since the Presidents views are TO govern in
executing the law. he can hardly he so cavalierly
dismissed as nobody His opinion is of more
importance than anybody elses Under his
direction the tariff board will do exactly the
work which il is needed TO do
The trouble with the emasculators was that