The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-13
Campaign for Body to
Study Problem Is
Started.
FINDS SUPPORT
IN EACH HOUSE
Real Fight Will Be Made in Sen
ate by the Progress
ives.
By IOHN SNURE.

Hoe can any member of the Senate
or House vote inteIligeutIy Ola the tariff
question with the information now in
the possession of Congress-
This was the reply of Senator Cum
minis of Iowa TO q question as TO his
puNsose in introducing various rcs0Iu-
uPRs calling on the executive depart
ments FOR special information concern
ing tire collection of revenue under the
Dingley act In this one sentence the
Iowa Senator sounded the battlecry OF
tn advocates OF d permanent tariff
comm sESiOn-
A genuine campaign, nationwide in
its scope and commanding the support
and interest of many industries affected
by the tariff. has been inaugurated
Real Fight in Senate.
The real fight for d tariff commission
viii Be made in the Senate. If the
House leaders carry through their pres
ent plans there will be a small chance
20 force a direct vote on the tariff com
mission question in that body. tt goes
without saying that the Committee on
Ways and Means viii not incorporate
tariff commission section in the Payne
bill. There are some Republican mem
bers Of this committee who favor the
commission plan, but the majority take
the contrary view. Accordingly. the
Payne bill as IL comes to the House
Will be free from this progressive fea-
sure The plan is 10 put through the
committee bill under a rule. This rule
viii permit the Offering OF a few amend
ments. For instance, it will permit
The Democrats to offer their substitute
Tor the Payne measure and 1t may au-
fhorize a separate vote on one or two
Of the important schedules. provided the
Republican members OF the committee
are unable 10 agree on these schedules.
IN the maneuVerlug for position and
N the vote on the rule for the cOnsid-
Grafton or the tariff bin the friends OF
the commission plan propose 10 be
heard Failing I'm the House. the COM
mission plan viii be presented to the
Senate.
Some Democrats.
The advocate Of a commission say
they are able TO count twenty-five Re
publican Senators who viii stand by
them to the end. no attempt has seen
made 10 poll the Democratic sida, but
some Of the younger and aggressive men
on that side. notably the two Senators
from Oklahoma, have volunteered their
services ana the friends OF the commits
sion are convinced that the leaveu Is
working with nonpartisan zeal
Probably the most striking feature OF
the movement for the creation of a tariff
commission IS that its supporters in
the Senate are not confined 10 any par
ucular group Of Senators. While It is
true that all OF the so-caIed progressive
sion many Of the conservative Senators
have made IL clear that they raga "a
this question as a simple business prom
osltIons and do not propose TO follow any
leadership in its consideration
tt is hinted that Senator CulOm now
the oldest member OF the Senate in
point of service. may join the Senators
who are urging a tariff commission
Senator DUPONT OF Delaware, one OF the
T1ost successful business men in Cen
Eress. is an OutspOkeu advocate Of a
tariff commission. Senator Stephenson
OF Wisconsin, IN years the oldest menu
Der of Jhe Senate, frankly admits that
he has been n tariff commission sup
porter for dozen years.
Bank on Root,
The advocates Of tire commission plan
are expecting great things from EIihu
Root. who is TO be New Yorks Senator
in the next Congress. and from Theo-
d0re Burton, who is 10 succeed Mr.
Foraker. as one OF the OhiO's Senators
While neither has stated his belief in
the tariff commission plan, 1T Is known
that both Root and Burton are Inclueed
10 be friendly to the general PROPOSE
tion.
There is no purpose TO urge the crea-
tiCu of "a commission il which shall be
Sested tile alternating power AdEO-
Gates OK the commission plan realize
that wholly aside from the cOustitu-
tional objection 10 such a plan. it is
The plan that wlu be presented TO
Congress this year viii provide only
that q commission OF experts shall be
appointed. p'o3a"iy oE the President,
whose business 10 shall be 10 ind out
facts about business. 1T is proposed
that this commission shall be nom
paTisaU and That the members com
posing 10 shan 1e men who Will COM
maud the respect and confidence Of the
Business world. This commission is 10
savestigate every phase of the tariff
question here and abroad.
Beverage to Speak.
1t is expected that from 1000 60 600
delegates win be present al the tariff
commission convention which is % be
held I'm Indianapolis next week.
Senator BeEeTidge Of Indiana will be
the principal speaker The Indiana Sen
atgr takes The position that al iJ Isl the
business mCu who must do business un-
der the tariff iHe tariff should be- "a BUSH
ness mems tariff and not q politicians
tariff He cEUeCLs 10 Doe prepared 10
methods duties are based upon sup
position and aE parLe statements Of iI-
1CreEtcd parties instead of upon facts