The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-05-05

such applause IL 1t is to be obtained
by sending tremors of fear through
the business world. His own Ian
guage on this particular point is that
nothing halts business and interferes
with the course of prosperity so much
as the threatened revision of the tar
III, and until the facts are at hand
upon which such revision can be
properly undertaken, it seems to me
unwise to attempt it.
1t will require more work than
most people imagine for the tariff
board to ascertain the difference Of
cost Of production in this country and
In foreign countries" although one
might suppose. judging by the flip
pancy with which some of the insurg-
ents in and out of congress discuss
the matter, that it merely is a ques-
tion of consulting statistical records.
1t will be necessary for the board
to employ men who are specialists In
determining the cost of production,
not only here, but in foreign coun-
tries, and any one not familiar with
the complexity Of such a business
problem must admit that the average
member Of congress or the average
writer for magazine is not an ex-
pert of this kind. The board will have
to 60 to Europe and possibly to the
orient to obtain the data which the
president desires.
Urged by Insurgents.
The collection and tabulation Of
this information would have been one
of the functions of such a tariff COM
mission. as was urged by some of the
insurgent senators during the special
session. But it was proposed also
that the commission should recon-
mend changes in existing rates. while
some of the ultra-enthusiasts over this
plan would have given it power to
modify schedules without confirma-
tory action by congress. This, how.
ever. would be a delegation of the
taxation power of congress, which all
good lawyers say is unconstitutional.
This, by the way, was one of the
principal objections to the creation Of
a commission. Moreover, the veter-
ans in congress recall that the last
commission, authorized early in the
eighties, after an exhaustive investi-
cation, submitted voluminous mass
of recommendations to congress,
which consigned it to the waste bask-
ct. Congress is in the habit of
treating with more or less contempt
the legislative recommendation Of
commissions for the reason that it
regards them in the light of an at
tempted usurpation of its own powers.
The present tariff board is not vest
ed with authority to. make recommen-
dstions. Its duty will be is to submit
to the president in comprehensive
form the information it obtains. II
these data convince the president that
some Of the existing rates are too
high, he will exercise his prerogative
Of notifying congress and recommend
ing suitable reductions. While Mr..
Taft is not accustomed to prejudice
cases before hearing all the evidence,
1t seems safe to forecast at this time
that the work Of the tariff board will
bring results Of a kind for which
there has been clamorous demand
in certain parts Of the country.
Some of the Republican sta1warts
Of the house are prepared to oppose
the section of the sundry civil bill
carrying the s250.0O0 appropriation
for the board. 1t is understood that
such men as Serene E. Payne. chair
man Of the ways and means commit
tee. and Representatives Dalzell of
Pennsylvania and Fordney of Michi-
gan. also members of the committee.
will object to the boards being given
authority in conformity with the
presidents Interpretation Of the law.
These men hold that Mr.. Taft has
placed too board a construction upon
the language Of the section in Ques-
ton, and insist that the board should
be more restricted in its actions than
the president desires.
1t sometimes takes q political cat
eclysm to bring some so-called states
men to a realization Of public senti
ment. Blinded by their self-import-
ance, or oblivious to the progressive
ness of the times. or living in the past,
and dreaming Of imaginary achieve
ments, they frequently invite disaster
to their party or precipitate parlia-
mentary situation. which enables
their political opponents to add to an
accumulation of negotiable assets. 1t
would seem to be comparatively
easy matter for group Of tariff
mossbacks to cause the defeat of the
tariff board item. for assuredly the
Democrats of the house are not stand
ing around waiting for opportunities
to advance the interests Of the admin
istration.
With the Republican organization
of the house in a perfect state of dis
iEtegration, there is no solidarity to
the majority party. and it would be a
spectacle for the gods to see q hand
full of stalwarts lead a successful in
surrection against the party in power
when its titular leader is making an
earnest effort to respond to a palpable
public sentiment.
THE OPEN DOOR