The Washington times., 1909-04-16
BRIGHTER OUTLOOK FOR A
/. TARIFF COMMISSION.

There is reason for satisfaction in
the reports that as the tariff legislation
gets more consideration, the prospect
for creation of tariff commission be-
comes brighter. Senator Aldrieh, it is
said, is disposed to concede the creation
of bureau or board in the Department
OF Commerce and Labor, charged with
making for the United States such an
investigation of labor, social, CONNER
cial, financial, and international affairs,
in their relations to the tariff, as has
been made by the German or the jap
Rnese tariff commission.
Doubtless the violent opposition
which denied even hearing to Senator
Beveridge when he made his great tariff
commission speech last year, was the
result in greater part of ignorance as
10 the work of such commissions in
other countries. There never was a
strong argument against creating such
commission for this country, while
all the argument of our own and other
nations experience was in favor of the
plan. Unthinking conservatism, which
opposes whatever Is unfamiliar, has been
IN some measure dissipated as public
men have learned of the experience of
other countries. But more than any
thing else, the demonstration of Con-
gress' utter inability properly to handle
such an immense problem without such
assistance, has been effective as an
argument in favor of a commission.
There are some things which legis-
lature ought not to try to do. 1t would
be just about as sensible for Congress
to try to administer the customs serv-
ice, as for it to undertake gathering
the vast array of information necessary
TO form the foundation of consideration
of tariff measure. So long as tariffs
are made in the present fashion, the
special interests viii get most of the
consideration. Anything else would be
impossible.
Making tariff ought to be a matter
of pure business, not in any wise of
politics. 1t is a good thing, from
any point of view, that the Democratic
party is demonstrating its inability to
hang together on this question. The
Republican party is no better able to
stick together. The utmost protection
sentiment of Democratic Louisiana is
no farther from the tariff for revenue
program of Rayner, than IS the ultra
protectionism of Aldrich from the radi-
ral revision opinion of Cummins. Meth
pr party is a unit on tariff; and every.
thing which tries TO unity parties on
it tends to make it a matter of politics
rather than of business. If a tariff
commission were established this year
and set at work, it could profitably ex-
pend all its time and energies getting
ready to help Congress with revision
ten years hence.
The time is past when the tariff
should be revised at one tremendous
effort. 1t ought to be adjusted from
time to time; but such a thing as a
complete revision at one time is as bar.
barous as the effort to improve social
conditions by having a revolution and
a terror. Revision Of the tariff is th,
industrial and financial reign of terror
We have had enough Of it in this coun
try, and ought to take steps to avoid
it in future. Let a tariff commission
measure be passed as the most i'm
portant and enlightened section of thi,
years. tariff measure, and the country
Sill regard it as fair compensation fol-
the other shortcomings of this legisla
tion.
The whole country now wants suci
q measure. II has been educated e
the matter at a marvellous speed. II
understands the impossibility of present
conditions continuing, and is convinced
that the commission is the plan which
as it has proved successful IN othel
countries, would most certainly better
conditions here.