The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-09-11
ROOSEVELT AND THE TARIFF.


more with tho system under which
tariff bills are made than with the
men who make them. Mr.. Roosevelt's
quarrel. thon. fs with the trainers Of
tho Constitution Of tho United States.
The system which he attacks IS writ
ten into the palladium Of our liberties.
fathorcd by tho founders OF our nation.
whom We honor at least once a year.
being on tho fourth day Of the seventh
1nonth
The Constitution OF tho United
States plaialy proscribes how revenue
shall DO secured. Tariff bills must
originate IN the House Of Representa-
tives. They then go 20 the Senate. The
system Is that tho tariff bill shall
originate aud pass in tho House. shall
go TO tho Senate. where il is consid-
cred and changes are written into the
bill IL goes back TO the House. which
also wants changes. Then conference
committees are appointed. and they
complete the bill.
re is possible that Mr. Roosevelt
might be able 90 improve upon this
system. az like everything else IN this
vale OF tears. g. is made by human
hands and therefore imperfect. but TO
do so ne must amend the Constitution.
or course. what is the Constitution
nrnonr friends" But most Of MS have
lingering respect for that document
the first into which our modern hui
man liberty and the rights or man was
ever written.
The men who drafted the Coustitu-
tion o. the United States had 90 that
time been dealing and living under n
nonarchiai form Of government They
had been accustomed 20 taxation
without approximation. and there was
IN their minds an acute memory OF a
certain famous tea party held I'm tho
classic. albeit impulsive. precincts OF
Boston. They were accustomed 60
being goecrned from above rather
-thau- from below, and were pretty
generally Disguised with anything that
F7vored or monarchy or o1igarchy.
They and their sons and brothers
had gone through n bloody war 20 earn
the righ 90 have their laws made by
themselves. and To- follow a system
which they had marked out for them
selves. Their greatest friend I'm the
parliament Of England had declared
that America had not the right 20
manufacture even n "n,dl for n horse
Shoe" In short. they were for a gov
q. NJ OF the people. FOR tho people.
nno the people" and they drafted
the c. titution with that end In view.
they fixed the system under which
thrift bf's are made.
SO tho system has obtained up %
this time Of having this most impor-
tant legislation. these laws which
touch most closely the lives and FOR
tunes or tho people. made by tho rep
rcscutatlves Of the people The mem
ber4 OF the lower House Of Congress
are elected each two years by the poo
de. and the members Of tho Senate
arc elected each six years by the rep
reeentativea Of the people in theii
state legislatures. Tariff bills. there
fore. are framed by the people through
their representative. about as populai
system Of popular government al
our forcfathcrs could conceive. and
few have vcnturcd 90 ask for
change during the century that hai
passed
Occasionally orc of rs may get m
idea that popular government f.
failure. that if the power were place,
in our hands We could manage IN,
PEOPLE better than they can manag
thornselves. and that our own judg
r,ent f. better than the composite
Judgment or ninety millions OF free
men expressed through their repre-
sentativcs. AZ about this time. how
ever. some kind friend hires a stou
uo,ioeuan to kick us around tn
block. and our sanity returns.
sto Congress. then. that we mus
look fin the future. as IN the past, 70
tariff laws.
Eoa1iziur that many intricate prob
lens are presented I'm making tariff
rc1eduies. the Trainers % the Payne
hld~ich bin inserted n clause provldin
for n tariff board fin accordance wit
the wishes of President TAFT Tho mis-
eio, OF the tariff board or commission
fe 10 Investigate the cost of produc
ton at home and abroad in order tha
fbe rates may be made high enough &
insure good wages for the America
voriinrman and furnish the necessar
amount OF protection TO manufacturer
at home.
This tarin commission IS % suppl
the necessary data 20 the Presiden
who IN turn will forward IL 90 Cor
rrese Tor action, with recommend
lions. n he has any such TO make IN
constitutional system Of maxim
tariffs. however. viii remain ar
changed.