Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-04
PLAN WILL SNLIGHTtN
COUNTRY On SUBJECT
Head Of Recently Created orsaniza-
ton at instance Of President TAFT
Tells What is the Object and the
Undertaking PIanned-WilI Collect
Proper Data On Schedules.

CHICAGO, ILL. Dec. J.--lfenry I.
Emery. chairman of the tarid com
mission. tonight gave the first official
utterance regarding the definite aims
of that body in an address made be
fore members of the Chicago A so
citation of Commerce. following a
banquet at the Congress Hotel. He
made a strong plea for permanent
tariff BOARD or commission. free from
partisan influence. to conduct an ex-
tended investigation into the indus
trial effects of the tariff and then TO
revive the various schedules without
partisan interference.
The main work of investigating the
industrial effects of our tariff had
been divided into three main parts.
he said. requiring three sets of in
vestisatcrs of different types. The
first part is the collection of facts re-
garding each dutiable article, show
ing the character and localization Of
its production at home and abroad,
statistics of output, imports and ex-
ports.> rates of duty reduced TO ad
yalorem terms, and the like.
The second part OF the work is the
collection of data regarding costs OF
production at the mill. The third
consists of obtaining information from
the best experts available regarding
home and foreign prices, local varia-
tons in each industry. and the gen.
eral conditions OF competition at home
and abroad.
The FIRST part of the work. he said,
can be pushed rapidly, but the second
part and. to some extent the third
must nc concentrated for the time
being On a few main lines OF inquicy,
and carried out with caution.
Groups of Work.
The speaker mentioned the differ
ent groups of investigators in can
field AMI referred to the fact chat ex-
perts on cost accounts would in few
weeks have the actual conversion
costs at the mill of every leading pulp
and paper plant in the country. ta'ser
directly from the books. and Won l
hen be ready to take up at once the
ne,t sci edule.
There has been" said Mr.. Emery.
'nuch misunderstanding about hear
inCs before the board. and many man.
ufacturers have wondered how we
can be investigating their schedules
without consulting them. The answer
is that we consider il waste of time
for all parties concerned to have them
anDear fefOre us in formal hearings
till We have first made thorough
study of the industry and know just
what we are after. When this has
been done We shall invite the ties Ii
IRONY OF all Interested parties. We
shall lay our results openly on the
table for anv enc to- criticise. amend.
or disprove"
Sense % Proportion.
The speaker then urged strongly
the necessity for maintaining sane
sense of proportion regarding the in
auence. whether for good or evil. Of
tariffs and of tariff investigations.
Just as there are some who give
practically all the credit for prosper
ity TO he tariff. and others who think
the tariff the cause of mot nisfor-
tunes" he said. there are those who
think an impartial investigation Of
the tariff is a menace to all business
and others who think that such an
Investigation will. by sone magic pro
cess. a. once make every mans in
coue adequate for his expenditure
and solve the aRe-icng problem OF
making both ends meet.
Many economic theorists have at
tempted to find the philosophers stone
By mean Of which prices could be
nade high 10 ali who wish them high.
and low 10 all who wish them low.
u would be fine thing II the farmer
could always get two dollars a buShel
for his wheat. and the working man
nav only a dollar a barrel for his
-four. Many people arc inclined 10
hold a government responsible which
does not accomplish such feat Of
alchemy. and the work Of any govern.
ment agency Is greatly hampered b.
the absence Of q sane understanding
Of what il can. and what II c1nno'.
DO
Different n Europe.
Mr. Emery showed the dinercrse
between European and American
methods - .tarin making and PORTED
ous that the reason why such clabor-
ate invcstieations Rad not been ncces-
sary s1rcad was because IT, those
countries there we're bodies ~ gov
crusrrnf officials 20 Fcrrnancnt non
partisan character sho have devoted
thcnscives solely 70 The itudy 81