The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-05
INsu URGENT BEyERIDGE
ON TEK TARIFF

ON THE TARIFF
 Senator Beveridge, one of the lead ing Insurgents in the Senate, presid- ed oyer the Indiana Republican State Convention held today, and his ad- dress was devoted to a defence of his action upon the Aldrich tariff. Its general tenor may be judged from the following extracts:
 The Republicans of Indiana are for protective tariff which covers the difference in the cost of produc- ion here and abroad. Less than that is unjust to American 1aborers more than that is unjust to American { was for law that would protect the wages of every workingman in 1ngznan to get his clothing and -crea- ture comforts cheaper-and such a lztW could have been written, and it
 was for law that would have given every manufacturer in Indiana ample protection, and yet enable him to get his raw materials cheaper and such law. could have been written. and it shall be written. was for a law that would have taken the tariff out of the way of ! ! busIness for ten or dozen years and such law could have been writ ten. and it shall be written. Busi- satisfied people can give tariff sta-
 Such is the definition of Insurg- ency upon the tar1ff question, as zzaade by a leading Insurgent. Need lass Ec say, it differs radically from the doctrine of Protection as laid down by AIdrich, Cannon, ct al.
 upon the matter of the tariff board, appointment Of which was authorized by the A1dricn bill. sena- tor Beveridge said:
 
 the Rres1dent to aRpssan spersopseW with full power to make tariff 1nvestiga- tions under his direction. Senator AIdrieh would not agree to all of it. kIe struck out or changed vital zanguage. Yet what remained Of my prcVlsIon gave to these persons broad aid Congress in tariff legislation. In this form 1t passed the Senate.
 But the Conference Committee struck out absolutely every word ~gfv- Ing these persons any powers to i'm Nestfgate and collect the facts, leav-. ing to the President nothing but the 1thority to employ persons to as- sist him in the admins tration of the 1naxiEnun and minimum section of member of the Conference Commit tee declared again and again on the floor Of the Senate that the Confer ence Committee had done this for these persons of any power whatever to gather facts or to do any work
 
 President Taft. by executive con Ktrl1nklon, has attempted to restore to These persons he is authorized to em- pIov some of the powers that the EOmKeKence Committee purpose1y de- etroyed But executive construction cannot restore powers that Congress |de1iberateIy refused to give. Even if 1t could, another President might construe it differently: and any Presi- dent at any time can discharge the sb-ea1Ied tariff board.
 For the members of this tariff board are not officers of the Govern 7ueEt they are mere employees to k1e President Any trust in America can refuse to give them any informa- ki6us all they can do is to say that 1 the President has directed them to 1 Meq1zest Information. And even if1 1f1eY collected information, Congress l could decline to consider it upon the 1 ground that it is not authorized by | zaW. We asked for reality; they l gave us a mockery. We asked for power: they gave us palsy We ask | Cd Tor bread; they gave us a stone | Such makeshift will not answer the | and consumers.
 Commission of experts as per naanenf as the bureau of Labor, with | duties fully described in the law it. self commission safe from the ac- cidents of politics, secure from the 6IfEaxlng opinions of changing Presi- aenHg commission equal to that of Germany or Japan-tl1at is what the Government needs; that is what the Nation demands; and that is what we will have