Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-07

fort OF the people than the elimination Of
instances OF injustice in the tariff
Permanent Tariff Commission,
The inquiries which the members OF the
tariff board made during the last summer
into the methods pursued by other gov
| ernments with reference to the fixing OF
tariffs and the determination Of their effect
upon trade, show that each government
maintains an office or bureau, the officers
and employees of which have made their
life work the study Of tariff matters OF
foreign and home prices and cost Of tariff.
and the effect OF the tariff upon trade so
that whenever a change Is thought 10 be
necessary in the tariff law this office Is
the source Of the most reliable lnfCr-
nation as to the propriety Of the chanse
and its effect l am strongly convinced
that we need in this government just such
an office, and that II can be secured by
making the tariff board already appointed
| permanent tariff commission, with sucn
duties, powers and emoluments as it may
seem wise to congress to give. 1t has been
! proposed to enlarge the board from n eo
| TO five. The present number is convenient
but I do not know that an increase OF
two members would be Objectionable.
Whether or not the protective policy is
| to be continued and the degree o. pro-
| lection to be accorded to our nome in
/ dustries, are questions which the peop'e
must decide through their chosen represen-
| tatives; but whatever policy Is adopted, it Is
clear that the necessary legislation shodld
be based on an impartial, thorough AMI
| continuous study Of the facts.
| banking and Currency Reform.
| The method of impartial scientific study
| by experts as a preliminary to legislation
| which 1 hope to see ultimately adopted as
| our fixed national policy with respect to
| the tariff rivers and harbors, waterways
| and public buildings, also is being pursued
| by the nonpartisan monetary commission
| of congress. An exhaustive and most val
| liable study of the banking and currency
| systems of foreign countries has been com
| pleted.
| A comparison Of the business methods
! and institutions of our powerful and sue
| cessful commercial rivals with own, Is
| sure to be of immense value. urge upon
| congress the Importance of a nonpartisan
| and disinterested study and consideration
| Of our banking and currency system.
| 1t is idle to dream Of commercial ex-
| pansion, and Of the development of our
| national trade on a scale that measures up
| to our matchless opponents, unless we can
| lay a solid foundation in sound and en-
during banking and currency system The
problem is not partisan, is not sectional
| II is national.
War Department.
| The War department has within its iulis-
dlction the management OF the army, and
| in connection Herewith, the coast detenses
the government of the dependencies " the
| Philippines and of Porto Rico; the rc"um
mendatlon of plans for the Improvement OF
. harbors and waterways. and their execution
. when adopted; and, by virtue of an execr-
T., tive order, the supervision of the constcuc'
y, ton of the Panama canal
:, In the army Of the United States, in ad
:, dition to the regular forces and the militis
a. forces which may be summoned to the de
., Tense of the nation by the president there
ID is also the volunteer force, which made VI
n very large part OF the army in the civil
CO war, and which in any war Of long contin
he uance would become its most importan
L. constituent There is an act which dates
a from the civil war, known as the volun
re teer act, which makes provision for the en-
ce listment Of volunteers in the army Of thu
s. United States in time Of war. This wa!
es found to be 80 defective in the Philippine
ne war that a special act for the organiza
ed ton Of volunteer regiments to take part II
We that war was adopted, and it was mucl
III better adapted to the necessities Of tn,
= case. There is now pending in congress {
= bill repeating the present volunteer act anC
making provision for the organization o.
volunteer forces in time of war, which Il
admirably adapted to meet the exigencie
~ which would be then presented. The pas
sage OF the bill would not entail a dollar
:, expense upon the government at this time
"a or In the future, until war comes, bu
= when war does come the methods thereii
directed are in accordance with the hes
a. military judgment as to what they ough
:, to be, and the act would prevent the ne
: cessity for the discussion Of new Legislation
- and the delays incident to its consldera
"a ton and adoption. / earnestly urge tn
~ passage of this volunteer bill.
he Reforms for the Army.
of further recommend that congress estab
d. lish commission TO determine as early a
US practicable comprehensive policy for tn
mt organization, mobilization and administra
n ton OF the regular army, the organized mi
We litla and the volunteer forces In the even
III Of war.
re In order that the militia OF each stat
a should be properly drilled and made NOR
al like tho regular army officers should b.
of detailed to assist the adjutant general O
ne each state In the supervision of the stat
IS militia; but this is impossible unless pro
III vision is made by congress for a very con
les pany and field officers OF the army. A bill
a was pending in the last session OF congress
er for this purpose and I earnestly hope that
III in the interest OF the proper development
RI. Of a republican army. an army, small II
pie The time Of peace but possible of promp
IS and adequate enlargement in time OF wal
ss. shall become possible under the laws O
an the United States.
at A bin, the strong argument for whic
he can be based on the ground quite FimiIa
.st 10 that Of the increased Officers bin.
to the bill for The increase OF sixty IN IN
TO army engineers. The army engineers ar
lat largely employed in the expenditure Of In
y moneys appropriated for the improvement
he Of rivers ana harbors This in addition I
he their military duties, which includes tn
ne construction Of Notifications both OF GU
ed coasts and I'm our dependencies, togethe
We with the number used IN the Panama cana
ID work, requires many more engineers tina
ali The army has and this shortnefs OF sunni