Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-06
Sundry Civil Bill Gives Taft the
$25O,O00 He Asked.
MEANS THOROUGH INQUIRY
Cost of Production Abroad to Be Re.
liably Determined.
BASE FOR FUTURE REVISION
Chairman Tawney Explains Pro-
vision as in Furtherance of
Party Pledge.

One of the most important propositions
contained in the sundry civil appropria-
tion bill reported to the House of Repre-
sentatives today is the paragraph legaliz-
ing the tariff board and the obtaining
through that agency Of all information as
to the difference in cost between articles
produced at home and abroad.
The text of the provision. which was
prepared by Representative Tawney of
Minnesota, chairman of the appropria-
tiOns committee, is as follows:
ITO enable the President to secure in
formation as to the effect of tariff rates
or other restrictions, exactions any
regulations imposed at any time by any
foreign country on the importation into.
or sale in, any such foreign country. of
any agricultural, manufactured or other
product Of the United States and to assist
the officers of the government in the adj
ministration of the customs laws,
as required by the tariff act ap-
proved August 5, 1909. including de-
tailed information Of the cost Of, and
Of each and every element thereof. of
producing at the place Of production
and at the place of consumption Of all
articles specified in said tariff act, both
in this country and in the country from
which such articles are imported, so
that the cost of all such articles produced
abroad may be compared with the cost Of
like articles produced in this country. the
President, in the employment Of persons
required and authorized for such service.
may appoint a tariff board, and he may
f@r,
or under the direction and supervision OF
such tarin board, such competent ex-
perts in the business and methods of cost
keeping and such clerical and other per-
sonal services in the District Of Column
bia, travelling and other Incidental ex-
penses as may be necessary in the work
Of said tariff board and the work of said
experts engaged In such Investigations;
and the compensation Of all such persons,
whether employed permanently or tenn
porarily, shall be fixed by the President;
and to enable the President to have such
information classified. tabulated and ar
ranged for his use in recommending to
Congress such changes or notifications
in any existing tariff duties as he may
deem necessary to prevent undue discrimt-
nation in favor Of or against any of the
products Of the United States, $3.50 000O."
Explanation by Tawney.
In explaining the provisions of the fore
going paragraph of the bill Mr.. Tawney
said today:
''The republican party. in its last ma
tional platform, declared 'unequivocally
for the revision of the tariff by a special
session of Congress Immediately follow
ing the Inauguration Of the next Presi-
dent The party also declared that in
all tariff legislation the true principle OF
protection 10 best maintained by the i'm
position Of such dueties as will eQualiZe
the difference between the cost of pro-
3uction at home and abroad. together
with reasonable profit to American in
dustry.'
There was more time given to the
work Of ascertaining the cost of produc-
ton in preparing the Payne bill than
there was in the preparation Of any pre-
vious tariff bill, but the methods used in
preparing all previous tariff bills had to
be followed because none other was avail
able. For this reason the rate of duty
in some cases may not correctly represent
the declared principle OF republican pro-
lection: that is. 1t may be more and 1t
may be less than the difference In the
cost Of production. To this fact more
than to any other may be attributed
practically all of the dissatisfaction with
the Payne law.
1T was to remove these difficulties in
the future, and also to enable the Presi-
dent to enforce the maximum and mini
mum provisions. that Congress authorized
him to obtain Information as to tariff
determinations and also concerning the
Appointed Tariff Board.
LAS interpreted by the President in his
annual message to Congress. the law now
authorizes him to secure information as
to the cost Of the production OF such
goods in this country and the cost of
their production in foreign countries In
executing this authority. the President
has appointed a tarin board. At the ex-
ira session of this Congress we apprcpri-
ated $4,000 for this purpose This amount
is available only during the current fis-
cal year.
1.-THE President has caused to be sub
mitted at this session of Congress an es-
innate for the appropriation OF $3.50. 900
for the purpose authorized in the tariff
act. and for which he has an appropria-
the sundry civil bill appropriates that
sum for that purpose for the next fiscal
year.
This provision does not limit the num-
Der of persons that may be appointed on
the tariff board, because the President. in
his discretion. may now appoint as many
as he thinks necessary. To restrict the
number would be to place limitation
upon his discretion which would be held.
under the rules of: the House. to be legis-
lation and therefore subject to point o'
order.
Boards Work Supervisory.
saThe work q the tariff board however
will be largely supervisory. The number
constituting the board is not therefore SO
! material. The authority to appoint ex-
perts qualified by. experience to obtair
accurate information In this country and
Of production at the place Of production
and the cost to the consumer at the place
Of consumption, is of great Importance.
"The board and all who are employed
under this appropriation VIII be subject
to the order of the President, and the
information when obtained, can be used
by him I'm recommending to Congress any
changes he may deem necessary in the
tariff rates to prevent undue discrimina-
ton in favor Of or against, any American
product.
mo tariff commission could lawfully
accomplish more than this provision will
enable the President, through a tariff
board. to do 1t is the taxing power of
the government that Is exercised in the
enactment of tariff laws.
'"The trainers OF our Constitution wisely
proyi(1ed that the exercises Of this power
can be initiated only by those who are
chosen to represent the people in the ma
tional House Of Representatives. The
power to tax involves the power to de-
stroy.
Peril In Taxation Power.
mo greater power is possessed by any