Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-24
TAKE TARIFF FROM POLITICS
Congressman Boutell Addresses De-
troit Bankers on Proposition.
TO AVOID BUSINESS UPHEAvAL
Plea II Made on Behalf of Bill TO
Procure Scientific Knowledge
ms Basis for Future
Laws.

DETROIT, Mich May 23.-Removal of
the tariff from the domain of partisan pol
tiles was urged by Representative Henry S.
Boutell in a speech delivered here today at
luncheon given by the Bankers club.
MIR. Boutell spoke in support OF the item
In the sundry civil appropriation bill ap-
propriating $250OOO for securing informa-
ton bearing upon the tariff and outlined
the change in the parliamentary procedure
in congress that must be made by a joint
rule before it will be possible to make spe-
cific changes in the tariff
Everyone must concede," said Mr.. Bou-
tell that, Judged solely as a revenue in
crease, the Payne tariff act has justified
the opinion of President Taft that 1t is the
best tariff law that has ever been passed.
The charge THAI the Payne tariff has
been the cause Of the increased cost Of liv-
| ing is found, on investigation, to be with
out the slightest foundation. There is not
in the Payne tariff any advance in rates
above the rates in the Dingley tariff that
justifles the increase in final retail price
to the ultimate consumption of a single
necessary article of food, clothing or house
hold necessity Notwithstanding this, some
INSCRIPTIONS dealers have put up the prices
| of their goods giving the Payne tariff as
|
''The Payne law is the most logically con-
structed and scientific tariff that we have
| had. 1t is well adapted TO serve as perm
anent general revenue statute that shall be
amended from time to time to meet the ex-
, igencies of the treasury and conform to In
dustrlal changes.
No More Political RevisiOns.
we ought now to do away with political
Will tbaIr
upheavals in the business world, and in
augurate a system of tariff development by
way of natural growth. In other words,
we should from now on revise the tariff
gradually by scientific business methods.
This cannot be done and ought not to be
attempted by a tariff commission. The idea
| of tariff commission authorized to re-
port rates of duty violates the spirit of
that clause of the constitution of the United
States which provides that all bills for
raising revenue shall originate in the house
or representatives. An executive tariff
commission vested with power to recon-
mend rates might, and frequently would
be in open conflict with the house of repre-
| sentatives Such a situation would be in
| tolerable and the possible creation Of such
situation Is not to be thought Of
| AN executive tariff bureau could accom-
! plish nothing In the way of collecting facts
that cannot be done by the existing depart
ments under direction Of the president.
! with ample appropriations in accordance
with the congressional authority But the
suggestion and adoption of specific duties
| and taxes always have been and always
! must be solely legislative function. Even
| II tariff commission should be created
| and should recommend changes in rates of
duty, its recommendations would be abort
i've under the present legislative procedure
| in congress.
1 Two Things Are Needed.
In order to replace the present unsatis-
| factory method, two things are. necessary.
/ The first requisite is up-to-date inforrna-
| ton, the fullest and most searching. on
every subject related to the tariff This
| information should be gathered through the
various departments and by specially
| trained experts under the direction of the
president and should be transmitted as
rapidly as secured TO the house of repre-
| sentatiVes
When this information dscloses a de-
feet in the tariff the information would be
like vast, complicated machine, that no
one could start because the lever for set
ting it in motion could not be found. In
the house of representatives an amend
ment to a paragraph of the tariff might be
considered without opening up the whole
| tariff, but under present rules such a bill
In the senate could be amended without
! limit.
| The second requisite, therefore, for sci
ontific tariff adjustment the means of
making information fruitful, the lever for
starting the engine, is a joint rule of the
two houses of congress whereby a para
graph Of revenue law can be amended
| without opening up for consideration any
| other portion of the law. The rule should
provide that when the ways and means
committee reports a bill to alter a para
graph of a revenue law, no amendment
to the bill that is not germane to the para
| graph shall be in order"