The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-09-08
DEAL
FOR R
SAYS ROOSEVELT IN HIS SIOUX
FALLS SPEECH.
NEED EXPERT COMMISSION
HE AGREES THE TARIFF IS NOT
ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY.

''D'h oNNs S>pf
Just like ourselves-probably not much
better and certainly no worse-con-
t%inually fail to give US the results
we have a right to expect from their
efforts we may just as we'll make
our minds that the fault lies not in
their personality, but In the conditions
under which they work. and profit
comes not from denouncing them. but
In seeing that the conditions are
changed.
This is especially r u Of tar'f max
ting. 1t has been cOnclusively shown
by experiments repeated again and
again that the methods Of tariff max
ing by congress which have nov OBJ
tained for SO many years cannot from
the very nature Of the case bring real
ly satisfactory results.
| think that the present tariff Is bet
ter than the last and considerably bet
ter than the one before the last, but 1t
has certainly failed to give general
satisfaction. l believe this country Is
fully committed to the principle Of
protection, but 1t Is to protection as a
principle. to protection primarily in
the interest Of the standard Of living
Of the American w~orkingman.
I believe that when protection be-
comes not q principle. but a privilege
and a preference-or, rather, q tumble
Of privileges and preferences-then the
American people disapprove Of 1t.
Now, to correct the trouble 1t Is neces-
sary In the first place to get In mind
clearly what we want and In the next
place to get in mind clearly the meth
cd by which we hope to obtain what
we want.
What We want is a square deal In
the tariff as In everything elsa
square deal for the wage Garner. a
square deal for the employer and a
square deal for the general public.
To obtain 1t we must have a thorough
ly efficient and well equipped tariff
commission.
The tariff ought to be a material issue
and not a moral issue. But II instead
Of a square deal we get q crooked deal
then 1t becomes very empbatically a
moral issue. What we desire In a
tariff is such measure of protection as
will equalize the cost Of production
here and abroad, and as the cost Of
production is mainly labor cost this
means primarily a tariff sufficient to
make up for the difference In labor
cost here and abroad.
Tl,a rpHIta xrvovtC Tho
American laboring man put on an
equality with other citizens. so that he
shall have the ability to achieve the
American standard Of living and the
capacity to enjoy 1t, and to do this we
must see that his wages are not lower
ed by improper competition with In
ferior wageworkers abroad with
wageworkers who are paid poorly and
who live as no Americans are willing
to live. But the American public does
not wish to see the tariff SO arranged
as to benefit primarily a few wealthy
men.
AS a means toward the attainment
Of its end in view we have as yet de-
vised nothing in any way as effective
as q tariff commission. There should
be a commission Of well paid experts.
men who should not represent any in
dustry, who should be masters Of their
subjects, OF the very highest charac-
ter and who should approach the mat
ter with absolute disregard Of every
outside consideration.
These men should take up In success
sion each subject with which the tariff
deals and investigate the conditions OF
production here and abroad. They
should find out the facts and not mere
ly accept the statements Of interested
parties, and they should report to on
gress on each subject as soon as that
subject has been covered.
Then action can be taken at once on
the particular subject concerned. while
the commission Immediately proceeds
to investigate another. BY these means
log rolling would be avoided and each
subject treated on it's merits. while
there would be no such shock to gen.
eral industry as is implied in the pres
ent custom Of making sweeping
changes in the whole tariff at once.
The same principle of a first class
outside commission should be applied
TO river and harbor Legislation. At
present a river and harbor bill. like a
tariff bill. tends to be settled by a
squabble among a lot of big selfish
interests and little selfish interests,
with scant regard to the one really
vital interest. that Of the general pub
lie.
In this matter the national legisla-
ture would do well to profit by the ex-
ample Of Massachusetts,. Formerly
Massachusetts dealt With its land and
harbor legislation just as at Washing.
ton tariff and river and harbor laws
have been dealt with. and there were
just the same pulling and hauling. the
same bargaining and log rolling. the
same subordination Of the general in
! tere9t to YariOua aDecial inkereata.~