The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-04
TARIFF BOARD
MEANS BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN EMERY OUTLINES
PLANS OF BOARD IN SPEECH
AT CHICAGO.
WILL NOT Be CHANGED
Despite Pressure Of Interests or
Popular ciamor--Tariff Cannot
Be Adjusted on Short
Notice.

IN0ktGCs
Chicago, Dec. 3.--Henry C. Emery,
chairman of the tariff commission to-
night gave the first official utterance
regarding the definite aims of that
body in an address before the mem
bers of the Chicago Association OF
Commerce following banquet at the
Congress Hotel. @
He made a strong plea for a per-
manent tariff board, free from parti-
san influence, to conduct an extended
Investigation into the industrial ef-
fects OF the tariff and then to revise
the various schedules without parti-
san Interference Mr.. Emery said:
The tariff question Is one Of bust
ness and not of mathematics. The
problem of how far an industry needs
protection to keep 1t in sound exist
ence or what the effect of its decay
would be, cannot be settled by any
algebfaic formula, None the less
such material, when digested By i'm
partial men of common sense VINO
know the conditions of competition
in each industry, and checked by the
knowledge of those who have fol-
lowed an industry for life time, will
furnish a body of knowledge on which
tariffs can be made which will have
the full confidence of fair minded
men"
Mr.. Emery spoke of the great diff
culties involved especially in getting
accurate cost figures, in view of him
self been able to figure out his own
costs accurately and also in view OF
the fact that figures OF relative cost
were not in themselves an adequate
basis for tariff Judgments He frank
ly admitted that in the case OF some
articles it would he either impossible
or unnecessary to attempt such cal
culations.
Discussing the existing powers OF
the tariff board to secure information,
Mr.! Emery stated it to be the opinion
OF the board that for an investigation
OF tli, character coerciye powers to
call for books and examine witnesses
undes oath were by no means essen
tial
Testimony given under coercion"
he said lis too likely to become I'M
willing and half-hearted. In most
cases more complete and Illuminating
information can be secured by differ
ent methods. The officials of Euro
pean governments who have accom-
pished most in these lines have no
such powers and do not ask for
them. Up to date, however, the
board has no reason to doubt that
they can secure the necessary infor-
nation by present methods. After
all, If the principle is once firmly es-
tablished that protection, however
necessary is favor and that the bur.
den of proof is on the manufacturer
to show cause why it is granted, the
question of powers becomes relative
ly unimportant"
On the question as to what use
would be made Of such findings, Mr..
Emery said, that, whether the board
should report to the president or to
congress, the influence OF its investi.
cation into facts would come from
the inuence Of unbiased and unsup--
pressed truth. to make itself effective
Those who are skeptical of this re.
suit" he said, forget that where cen.
tain interests are concerned to sup
press the truth, other interests
whether from business or political
motives--will be equally eager to
eve It the fullet publicity. The
trouble in the past has been that the
facts have NOS been available. Once
IT is known that they can be secured.
tney are bound to have their effect
on public opinion and so on public
policy. This however, is absolutely
dependent on the continuance of such
enactment Of legislative tariff.
we viii urge the adoption Of
resolution for the election of sena
- I" t|Stl NOtt, DTONfulnP f0r
the physical valuation Of the property
OF railroads and common carriers.
gand an inquiry into the investment
represented in the properties OF CON.
mon carriers. We will urge also tire
enactment Of law to limit the is.
snance OF stocks and bonds by com.
mon carriers. Many of these meas
ures will make actual progress during
this session, but by the consideration
of all five Of them this winter will he
SO mitch gained ianere viii be less
work to do at another time"
The senator made 1t clear that the
progressive senators will not await
the report OF Taft's railway securi-
ties commission, before merging an
other bill for the control of the issu-
ing Of railroad stocks and bonds.