Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-02-18
FOR INTELLIGENT
TARIFF MAKING
SENATOR BROWN DECLARES
FOR INVESTIGATION OF ALL
RELATED QUESTIONS.
OF EXPERTS ONLY
CAN FIND SOLUTION OF
PERPLEXING PROBLEM.

indianapolis, Ind, Feb. l7.-That a
tariff commission, composed Of eX-
perts who would carry on investiga-
lions which congress could use as the
basis of tariff legislation, should be
provided for by congress, such com
mission, however, to have no author
ity to fix any tariff rates, was the
substance Of the speech delivered
yesterday before the tariff confer
ence meeting in this city, by Senator
Brown, Of Nebraska. The speaker
said in part
while l believe in the wisdom Of
a tariff which will protect American
labor and capital, l do not come to
argue the economic merits Of that
policy nor to demonstrate the folly
and the faIlacy of the contrary doc
trine. | come to commend, and /
hope to encourage this representa-
tive body Of Americas bu mess men
in their stand for an intelligent and
scientific basis on which congress
may determine what du les shall be
levied on the worlds imDOrtations."
Mr.. Brown declared that the task
now before congress is to readiust,
not to repeal, the DingIoy law. It's
policy and purpose must be perfected
and not abandoned. The Judgment
of the American people is for it's re
arrangement in the matter of details
and for its rededicatiOn in the mat
ter of principle. 1t is because the
details are so intimately and insop-
arabIy a sociated with the principle
and purpose of any Industrial Iegis-
latiOn that every true friend of wise
and safe congressional enactment
should be willing to have the facts
on which the details rest ascertained
and reported to congress, said the
speaker. The creation Of a per
manept commission of experts TO
make such an investigation is a public
necessity.
There is not a business man Of
small or great degree" he declared,
who does not first investigate the
facts of location, Of trade, of con
ditions Of prices, of supply, Of dis
and many ether facts be
fore he ventures to invest dollar.
why should congress that acts
for al the people be less careful and
less informed about what it under
takes than the average business man
who acts for him elf alone? If that
business man is wise, who first OBJ
tains the facts, before he opens his !
business house or buys a factory, or
builds a railroad. would it not be wise |
for congress to first obtain the facts, !
as a basis for legislation, before it |
Iegislates on a subject which neces-
sariIy involves for veal or woe every |
business house and every factory and |
every railroad and every labOrer in |
all the land?'
The speaker said there should be |
no doubt about an early enactment Of I
congress providing for a tariff com
mis- ion of experts to investigate and |
report all of the facts obtainable re- |
ating to trade and industrial con
1itions to be used as a basis Of tar
IF making.
"A commission of this character is
1 public necessity and would be
public benefaction," said Mr.. Brown
n conclusion. 1T would tend, at |
east, to remove the tariff from poll
les. While I believe in the exist
snce of political parties, l do not
hink the busine~s Of the country
should be distributed and the indus
ries of the people threatened every
wo years by an assault on tariff
schedules The tariff is purely a