The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-09-03

SS"o 'n"' 'ne souuiliouo uEe
changed.
This is especially true of tariff max.
Ing. 1t has been conclusively shown
by experiments repeated again and
again that the methods of tariff max
ing by congress which have now OBJ
tanned for so many years cannot from
the very nature of the case bring real
ly satisfactory results.
I 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. 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 workingman.
I believe that when protection be-
comes not principle, but n privilege
and preference-or, rather. a tumble
of privileges and prefcrcnces-then the
American people dlsapprove of 1t.
Now, to correct the trouble It 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 square deal in
the tariff as in everything else-a
square deal for the wage Garner.
square deal for the employer and
square deal for the general public.
To obtain it we must have thorough
ly efficient and well equipped tariff
commission.
The tariff ought to be material Issue
and not u moral issue. But II instead
of square deal We get crooked deal
then 1t becomes very emphatIcally
moral issue. What we desire In q
tariff is such measure of protection rs
will equallze 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.
The American public wants the
American laborfng 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 It, 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 arc paid poorly and
who live rs 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. W. iEn '' t'' ~
Commission Of Experts.
As means toward the attainment
of Its end III view We have as yet de-
viscd 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 nbroad. They
should find out the facts and not mere
ip ononpt tho ctotannptc ~ iptnrncto,l
parties. and they should report to con-
gross on each subject rs 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 its 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 first class
outside commission should be applied
TO river and harbor legislation. AT
present river and harbor bill. like
tariff bill, tends to be settled by n
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 lcgisla-
turc would do well to profit by tue cx.
ample of Massachusetts. Formerly
Massachusetts dealt with its land and
harbor legislation just as ut 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
terest to various special interests.
.