Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-08

He must appoint five lawyers as judges
of the United States circuit court. who
shall constitute the court of commerce
created by the recent railroad law. As
one Of the men selected will be a member
OF the Interstate Commerce commission an
able successor must be chosen.
Wants the Right Wen.
Nothing, in the judgment Of the president,
is more important than the appointment OF
the right men.
In addition, Mr.. Taft desires to have his
annual message drafted before he returns
TO Washington. He will have 70 consider
and pass upon the recommendations Of the
army board Of engineers, formed to select
the reclamation projects which shall be
carried without delay TO completion
Livery department has It's large questions
: of policy which constantly are being placed
before the president for decision.
| SO far as what haN been accomplished IL
concerned, the president is proud Of It..
There ought to be no doubt on this score
And some of the pride he feess is founded
in the fact that the legislation enacted was
enacted by the regular vote Of the repub-
lican party.
1t is true some changes were made in the
various bills at the instance OF the insur-
gents and democrats, but the president
asserts they were few in number. The
main features with the exception Of the
tariff law. were foreshadowed in speeches
he made before congress assembled last
December in his several messages, and in
bills which we're especially prepared by his
direction for the consideration Of congress.
Tariff Result Pleases Him.
The way in which the tariff law has
operated has given the president consider
able satisfaction. He fully justifles the
claim he made for 1t at winona that It
was the best law Of the kind ever enacted.
The value Of the law as q revenue producer
is established. With reference to it's effect
upon the consumer the president insists
that 1t generally is in his interest.
Numerous reductions were made in the
duties on necessities. while the increases re-
lated to luxuries, such wine and the like.
FIoof Of this fact and Of the falsity Of the
| claim that the tariff Is responsible for the
high cost of living has been furnished the
president.
An investigator took the menu of dining
car, which contained ninety items and
applied the tariff TO each Of them. He
found that seventy had been untouched, the
duty on fifteen had been reduced, and there
were Increases on only five. The increases
affected olives pineapples, sweet cake Eng
iish plum pudding and wines.
! At hotel where he stopped no took like
action, with the result that out OF the forty
six items on the menu there was one In.
crease-sweet cake-seventeen decreases
and the remainder, twenty-slx in number
were untouched. At another hotel the same
procedure with respect to forty>five item.
showed nine reductions and no increases.
Opinion of Investigator.
SO far as the necessities Of life, In tho
way OF food products, being affected by
any change from the Dingley to the Payn,
BILL" the Investigator concluded, "tht
i changes made are all downward, and VIZ
need have no fear Of taking a radical posi-
ton in that respect"
The president never has made any secret
Of his dissatisfaction with the wool schedul,
ana the cotton schedule. These, by his
direction. are being scrutinixed by the board
Oh experts he has appointed. With this
i appropriation placed at its disposal thu
board wilhbe able tolmake q thorough and
comprehensive inquiry, and is certain &c
get results, the president believes, which
VIII be highly advantageous
He does not favor a tariff commission
Such a body, vested by law with inouis
iloral powers. would not In his Judgment
he able to obtain the complete informatio
which is necessary TO reach a correct con
cluson. since it would antasonlze mer
chants and manufacturers and dispos,
hem to block its efforts to get at tn,
truth. s
Moreover, the president. of course, as h
points out. is not the lawmaker. Con
sress, under the constitution, alone ha.
'he right to make laws, and it is question
IahI Il
to any body Of men.
Prof. Emery, chairman of the Taft tariff
board, has reported that the experience O
Germany has opposed that country de
eidedly to the tariff commission plan.
Sees Real Benefits.
Real and immediate benefits. In Mr. Taft
view, have flowed from the legislation en-
acted. In the regulation OF railroads tn
principal Improvement, he thinks. attend
The institution OF the commerce court fl
the determination OF the legality OF order
made by the Interstate Commerce com
mission
Heretofore appeals have been takei
through the circuit courts to the courts Q
appeals and thence to the supreme court
This procedure has lent itself TO confusion
of Interpretation and to woeful delay.
The president believes the creation of
single court, empowered 10 deal with >ques
lions arising from the acton of the Inter
, state Commerce commission, its member
, versted in the principles and precedents con
! trolling the application OF the interstat
, commerce laws. win result In the establish
ment of a uniform system OF practice. i
: harmonious rules, and in expedition. max
ing the work Of the commission much NOR
I effective than ever before.
The railroad law also gives the commits
I sion power. of its own motion, to investi
gate the reasonableness OF rates, and
e found unreasonable to fix those which wi
5 Ue reasonable.
h Rights TO shipper.
+ The commission is empowered to read
just classifications-a power it did not hay
before, or which at least was doubtful.
The shipper now has the right to deman
written statement OF the rates from Il
authorized agent OF the railroad compan,
p The new law authorizes the Iuterstat
= Commerce commission to suspend the ope
I, alton of Increased rates until 1t can loo
I, into the question Of the reasonableness
" the increase. "
:, The president is rather doubtful as to Il
1 effect of the long and short haul claus
1t may give a. little more power to Il
. commission and be a little liberal Ia ~