Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-14
PRESIDENT TAFT DETERMINED
TO MAKE HIS TARIFF COMMITS.
SION USEFUL.
LEADERS UP AGAINST
A REAL LIVE WIRE
Hale's Efforts to Define Limitations Of
Proposed Commission Seem to Have
Gone Wrons-New Commission Fore
runner of Stronger Body With
Greater Powers.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, Aug. 14.-It begins to
look as if President Taft and the body
of experts which he will select for the
purpose of getting information for in
telligent enforcement of the maximum
and minimum tariff provisions will
come squarely into collision with the
house and senate leaders who were
bent on holding down to the lowest
Notch the powers which the presidents
tariff experts or commissioners could
exercise. 1t is not at all unlikely that
out of this matter there will grow an
agitation for tariff commission even
strongersthan the one already afoot and
one which the leaders will find it i'm
possible to resist.
Good reason exists for the belief the
president intends to have his commits
sioners look into the difference in the
cost of production at home and abroad
1t is now recognized by nearly every
one who has given the tariff any at
in tariff making. Consistent and per-
slstent efforts We're made by Senator
Aldrich and all his aides to prevent
light being shed on the difference in
cost of production thruout the tariff
controversy. If the president should
get the much-needed data thru his tar
lift commissioners and communicate 1t
to congress or to the public in any
fashion, it might have the effect of ex-
ploding a bomb under some of the
schedules.
Hale Apparently Mistaken.
Senator Hale in a speech in the sem
ate made it perfectly clear that he
language in the tariff measure with re-
spect to the employment of experts was
not intended, as he saw it, to permit
the president to get any information
about cost of production here and
abroad. All the president could find
out. as Senator Hale saw it, was
whether there was undue discrimina-
ton against the United States. He
could not go beyond that 1t is true
that Senator Aldrich went on record
as saying the language was much
broader than that But Senator Hale
in his utterances undoubtedly expressed
the view of the high tariff leaders in
both senate and house. Senator Hale
did not mince words. He maintained in
effest that if the, president went into the
mooted question of cost of production
and sought in any fashion to afford en-
lightenment on that matter he would BIZ
overstepping the bounds of authority.
Taft Wont Be Suppressed.
| Now, there are signs that President
Taft does not intend ,meekly to sit
! down and accept the dictum of Senator
Hale on this matter From time to
time, intimations have been coming
out that the president had some COM
prehensive plans of his own as to the
course to be taken by his tariff experts
or commissioners and that he purposed
to get together some real experts with
some real brains and independence
who would scrutinize the operation of
tariff matters with an eye for nothing
but the impartial facts
Indicationsare not wanting that in
order to. find out whether the various
nations are discriminating unduly
against the United States, and in or
der to arrive at the commercial agree
nents which will be the inevitable out
growth of the maximum and minimum
provisions of the tariff law, the presi-
dent will have to find out how the cost
of production on variety of articles
abroad compares with the cost of pro
duction here. Without such informa-
ton, it is pointed out by those who
have been giving the subject thought
it will be impossible to know whether
a country which is giving the United
States the benefit of its lover rates is
making any concession. A commercial
agreement is matter of give and take
Unless the president is in position to
know for himself just what foreign
nation is giving when an agreement
is proposed, he will be proceeding in
the dark. Some there are who hold
that in order to carry out what the
maximum and minimum provisions OF
the bill contemplate the president will
be driven to finding out all about the
cost of production and that Senator
Hale and number of statesmen OF
reputed wisdom overlooked a bet wher
!; they took a different view OF it.
Looks Like Live Wire.
Senator Hale was much in earnes
in this matter. 1t appears that he wen
to the White House and labored witt
N4l III " SiiOW Aiilli Jool INV lldII Nv
were the confines within which his tar.
iff commissioners would have to oper.
ate. 1t may be confidently expected
that if some months hence it develop!
the president is finding cut all abou
the tariff, about the difference in cos
of production here and abroad, Their,
will be a great and prolonged uproa,
from the Maine statesmen and t1los
who take his view of the matter. The.
are not likely to permit an exploration
into the recesses of the question o
what production costs on both sides O
|. the Atlantic to go on undisturbed i
they can help it.And any fight stirred VI
over this question will in all likelihoo,
result in heightening the agitation TO
a real tariff commission on the part o
many members of congress.
\ In short, it looks as if the Unite,
tariff commission provisions of the new
law were live wire. 1t is not likely t.
be any the less cause of controvers
because the insurgent or progressiv
republicans in the senate and house ar
i. declaring purpose to keep hammerin
away at the question of cost of pro
duction.
WIDOW, 50, WEEDS MESSENGER, Fl