Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-06-24

Investigations into the cost of pro-
duction, the reactionaries who con-
troll the senate hope to avoid dis
cussion of the tariff. Their plan was
successful in so far as it precluded an
amendment to establish a genuine tar
iff commission. Any amendment hav-
ing this for it's purpose would be sub
ject to point of order, and could
only be considered in case the chair
should be overruled. 1t was impos-
sible to get a question where there
could be a square vote upon it, SO the
Progressives contented themselves
with pointing out the weakness of the
present provision as wholly made
quate, but said that it would be some
thing upon which they could build In
the future.
Senator Beveridge made the prin-
cipal address upon it. He called at
tention to the growth Of the sentiment
in favor of a real tariff commission
which began with the introduction OF
his bill three years ago. He said in
part:
when | introduced this bill and be-
gan a fight for an investigation of tar
if facts by nonpartisan experts, the
proposition was violently assalled. 1t
ran the course which every idea runs
that changes the existing order OF
things which is fundamentally wrong
and unsound 1t was viciously de-
nounced. No one attempted to answer
the arguments for it; no one denied
the facts and figures produced to sup
port it, The ancient method OF blind
denunciation and ignorant ridicule and
the contempt of the powerful was sup
posed to be sufficient to crush and
overwhelm it.
Just Laying the Foundation.
But reason had its way, as it al
ways has had and always will have.
The idea of an expert investigation OF
tariff facts began it's triumph by the
enactment of this provisional trl-
umph only begun, but which will
march steadily forward to it's full and
| perfect contamination. Let no man
think that what we are now beginning
will be temporary. Let no man think
| that we can use this idea for an hour
and put it aside at our convenience.
| We are laying the foundation for an
| institution which finally and soon will
| be completed into a genuine, per-
manent, nonpartisan tariff commission
| or board, whose authority, powers and
duties will be steadily increased and
! definitely defined in law as time pro-
| ceeds and events compel. The story
of the growth of the power and au-
| thority of the Interstate Commerce
commission will be repeated.
For, Mr.. President, by this pro
vision we are to have the facts found
out by impartial experts under au-
thority of written law. Everybody
| knows that this has been unwillingly
| granted. Everybody knows that some
| of the very men in congress who now
permit, and even pretend to champion,
this measure, are forced to it by the
! iron hand Of circumstances.
imperfect in Present Form.
left to itself this provision is i'm
perfect. True, we are at last author
| izing experts to do this work. But
| they are to report to the president
and not to congress; yet it is con-
| gress and not the president which
makes tariff laws. True, we are to
have at last a scientific investigation
of the tariff under authority of law !;
| but these experts are not officers OF
the government, appointed with
definite duties and fixed tenures pre-
scribed by statute as they should be;
no, they are still only employees serv-
| ing under contract. True, we are at
last to have this tangled question un
raveled by men especially trained and
equipped for the work; yet, although
they are by this provision given legal
authority to do it, they are not given
the necessary power; for although we
at last authorize them by law to make
this investigation, yet we do not give
them power to compel interests who
refuse to disclose the facts, to open
up their books, produce papers or tC
place their managers, agents or EN-
plOyOSS OH the WILuSSS Slduu uHuGl
oath. True, we have authorized the
president to employ these experts ano
given him the money to make this
investigation, yet any president may
discharge all these experts at any
time and stop the whole work in ar
instant Should any president harper
to fill the chief magistracy who op
posed this idea, he could end it az
automatically as the car of Russia
by the mere order Of telephone.
"All these things anc many more
are the imperfections, or, rather, the
incompleteness, of this provision; an(
all those must be remedied, and they
will be. But at last congress has beer
forced induced-to actually authorize
by formal statute this all-importan
work; and for this real and substantial
beginning let the country be Thankful
and rejoice.
"Of course, congress has given al
this-little as it is-most grudgingly
But no matter, for the edge of thu
wedge has entered and the demands
of the people will drive it home. 1t il
| l.