The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-12-06
PRESIDENT lIESAGE


5tarif Is that IN respect 10 q number
Of the schedules the declared measure
was not followed but D higher diner;
ence retained or inserted, BY way Of
undue discrimination liz favor Of GER
tain industries and manufactures.
Little. II any. OF the criticism OF the.
tariff has been directed against tho
protective principle above stated. but
the main body Of the criticism has been
based on the charge that the attempt
to conform to the measure of nrotec.
tlon was not honestly and sincerely adj
hered to. =ls .3
{ Tariff Board.
The time in$which the tariff was pre-;
pared undopbtedly was SO short as 10
make II impossible for the congress
and It's experts to acquire 5the;lnforma.
5tion necessary strictly to conform 10
the declared measure. Inorder to avoid
criticism Isl this kind in the future and
for the purpose OF more nearly conform.
Ing to the party promise congress at Its
last session made provision at my re-
quest for the continuance Of a board ere.
ated under theSauthority Of the maxi
mum and minimum clause OF the tariff
BILL and authorized this board to expenl
the money appropriated under my dr.
rection for the ascertnlnment Of the
cost Of production at home and abroad
of the various articles included In the
schedules Of the tariff. The tariff
board thus appointed and authorized
has been dillgent iii preparing Itself for
the necessary investigations. The hope
Of those who have advocated the use
Of this board for thrift purposes is that
the question Of the rate of a duty i'm
posed shall become more Of d business
question and less Of a political ques:
ton, To- be ascertained by experts Of
long training and accurate knowledge.
The halt In business and the shock to
business due to the announcement that
anew tariff bill Is to be prepared aud
put In operation will be avoided by
treating the schedules one by. one as
occasion shall arise for a change In the
rates Of each and only after a report
upon the schedule by the tariff board
competent to make such report.
1t is not likely that the board will be
able to make report during the pres.
ent session Of congress on any Of the
schedules, because a proper examina.
tion involves On enormous amount Of
detail and great deal of care. but I
hope to be. able at the opening of the
new congress, or at least during the
session Of that congress. to bring to
its attention the facts In regard to
those schedules in the present tariff
that may prove, to need amendment. s
The carrying out Of this plan. OF
course. lnvolves the full cooperation
Of congress In limiting the considera.
ton In tariff matters to one, schedule
alta time, because fla proposed amend.
ment to tariff bill is 10 involve q
complete consideration Of all the
schedules and another. revision then
We shall only repeat the evil from
which the business Of this country has
in times past suffered most grlevously
by stagnation and uncertainty. pend.
Ing q resettlement Of q law. affecting
all business directly or indirectly. and
the effect Of which no wise business
man would ignore2in new projects and
new Investments.
The inquiries which the members OF
the tariff board made during the last
summer into the methods pursued by
other governments with reference to
i the fixing of'tarifPs and tho determine.
ton of their effect upon trade show
that each government maintains an OF.
fee or bureau. the officers and EN-.
ployees of which have made their life
work the study Of tariff matters. OF
foreign and home prices md cost OF
articles imported and the effect OF the
tariff upon trade. so that whenever q
change Is thought to be necessary If
the tariff law this office is the source
of the most reliable informatiou as t
the propriety of the change and its er
feet. ~,
El am strongly convinced that W.
need in this government just such NJ
office and that it can be secured by
making the tariff board already mp
pointed permanent tariff commission
with such duties. powers and. emon
ments as 1t may seem wise to congress,
to give. It has been proposed to On
large the board from three 10 i've. Th,
: present number is convenient. but
do not know that an increase OF tw,
members would be Objectionable. Z
recommend that congress establish
4 a commission TO determine as early.a,
practicable n comprehensive policy fo
the organization. mobilization and nd
mlnistration Of the regular army, th,
organized militia and the volunteer
forces In the eveneof war.
Need For Additional Officers.
One of the great difficulties In til,
prompt organizat ton and mobilza tiol
of militia and volunteer forces Is th,
absence of competent officers Of til
rank Of captain to teach the new army
by. the unit of the company. the busl
ness Of being soldiers and Of takln,
care of themselvesso us TO render ef
Il fective service. This need OF. nrm,