The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-04

by which we hope to obtain what we want. What we want is @ square deal in the tariff, as in everything else; a square deal for the wage-earner; a square deal for the employer: a square deal for the general public To obtain it we must have thoroughly efficient and well equipped tariff commission.
 ''The tariff ought to be a material is- sue and not a moral issue; but instead of square deal we get a crooked deal then 1t becomes very emphatically moral issue. What we desire in a tariff in such measure of protection as will equalze the cost of production here and abroad; and as the cost of production is mainly labor cost, this means primarily a tariff suffi. clent to make up for the difference 1T labor cost here and abroad. The Amer ican public wants the American labor ing man put on an equality with other citizens, so that he shall have the ability to achieve the American standard of liv- ing and the capacity to enjoy it; and tc do this we must see that his wages are not lowered by improper competition with inferior wage-workers abroad-wth wage workers 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.
 IhrfH Commission
 "As a means toward the attainment Of its end In view we have as yet devised nothing in any way as effective as a tariff commission. There should be a commission of well-paid experts; men who should not represent any industry; who should be masters of their subjects; of the very highest character; and whe should approach the matter with absolute disregard of every outside consideration These men should take up in succession each subject with which the tariff deals and investigate the conditions of produc- ton here and abroad they should find out the facts and not merely accept the statements of interested parties; and they should report to Congress on each sub ject as soon as that subject has beer covered. Then action can be taken al once on the particular subject concerned while the commission immediately pro ceeds to investigate another. By these means log-rollng would be avoided and each subject treated on It's merits. while there would be no such shock to genera industry as is implied in the present custom of making sweeping changes IF the whole tariff at once. Finally, 1t should be the duty of such governmental de partNent or bureau to investigate the conditions In the various protected indus tries, and see that the laborers really are ReJt1n& Ine DeneHt or lne ldTlI sup p6sed to be enacted in their interest Moreover, to insure good treatment abroad we should keep the maximum and minimum provision.
 Other Legislation
 '"The same principle of a first-class outside commission should be applied tc river and harbor legislation. At present river and harbor bill, like a tariff bill tends to be settled by squabble among lot of big selfish interests and little selfish interests, with scant regard to tho one really vital interest, that of the gen eral public. In this matter the nationa legislature would do well to profit by the example of Massachusetts. Former lv Massachusetts dealt with It's land ant harbor legislature just as at Washington tariff and river and harbor laws hay, been dealt with and there was just tn, same pulling and hauling. the sam, bargaining and rolling, the sam, subordination of the general interest tS | various special interests. Last year Gov ernor Draper took up the matter, and or i hia recommendation the legislature turned | the whole business over to a commission of experts; and all trouble and scandal | forthwith disappeared. Incidentally tance of progressive legislation
 Man Paints in Tent
 Just before Colonel Roosevelt finished his speech a man who was standing fl
 tent fainted. The people were wedged to