The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-20
President Taft Points With Pleasure
To Work On Panama Canal
That Has Baffed Four
Other Great Nations.
He Also Discusses Tariff Board in
Detail and Tells What 1t
Will Do.
Copyrighted 1910 by The United Press.


tariff commission plan. The writer
found him busily engaged, confronted
on all sides by the appeals OF con-
gressmen, the chickering's OF politicians
and the demands OF office seekers.
The president afterwards took up
the permanent tariff commission with
the writer. The president freely gave
his personal opinions and the beliefs
which form the basis OF his earnest
hope of making the commission an
accomplished fact. A White House
rule prohibits the direct quoting or
the president, but in the following an
attempt is made faithfully 10 give his
ideas as he expressed them to the
writer.
The permanent tariff commission
will provide the necessary basis for
intelligent tariff legislation, no mat
ter by what party or TO what end IL
the Democrats are Champ Clark and
not "Chump Clark" they will support
il. No scientific revision OF the tariff
is possible without the true facts upon
which TO base II and the facts are
obtainable in no other way. |, is be-
yond the ability of any body Of men,
working temporarily OIL the tariff. TO
collect and digest the vast amount OF
detail which must be considered in
the making of tariff.
The tariff commission will be a per-
manent institution where from year 10
year the data and information in such
matter will be assorted, catalogued
and digested in such "A way as To be
ready for instant use. Ii Will be to
the tariff what the congressional IL
brary is 20 literature. You can send
q note TO the library, saying you are
working upon certain subject and
YOU are Immediately provided with all
the best reference books and records
on that topic. Without such "a library,
how long and how hopeless task
would it be TO obtain full and accur-
ate inform alton by running through
volume there, and skiinming through
file of newspapers. without system
and without knowledge. as TO what
might have been overlooked?
Ii is in such helter-skelter fashion.
however that tariffs must be MADE,
if the permanent commission is not
established. The countries of Europe
have tariff bureaus where all the rec
ords of the schedules are kept, and
where data is constantly gathered and
kept up TO date. At moments notice
the cost of production OF any given
article in any given country can be
obtained
The failure of congress TO support
the permanent tariff commission idea
would be step backward and make
scientific revision impossible for
years TO come. The matter has now
progressed 10 the point where the
country Is ready for It, If the COM
mission is now made permanent Its
value will soon be appreciated OH all
sides and IL VIII never be discon.
tinued. II for party reasons-the chief
OF which apparently would be that
the idea did not originate with the
Democrats-the Democrats are able
TO prevent It, many years may pass
before the scientific consideration OF
the subject reaches the point where
il would be opportune again.
While the plan TO permit revision or
the tariff schedule by schedule is nee
essary, the establishment OF the per-
manent commission must come first.
There are some difficulties too, con-
fronting the schedule by schedule
plan. II would be easy TO determine
what might be covered by the wooden
schedule, for instance, but when 1t
comes TO such matters as the mlscel-
laneous schedules, IL would be diff
cult to hold the revision within
bounds. Then, in addition, comes the
jealousy between men in congress re-
garding the authorship OF bills. Sew
eral men may have measures, design
ed to accomplish the same purpose,
but different in some minor details.
Each urges his own bill and fights for
II because he wants the law TO bear
his name. These chickering's and
jealousies often actually stand in the
way OF speedy and successful legis-
lation.
The Panama Canal.
The president was enthusiastic re-
garding the Panama canal, which is
lust beginning TO appear on the hor-
lion of the average American as one
of the greatest causes Tor national
pride. lie displayed his vital interest
in its future meaning to the American
people by his amazing knowledge OF
sthe most minute details OF the tre-
menGous work-a knowledge fostered
by his intimate connection with its
construction almost since Uncle Sam
undertook the world task.
The greatest effect or the opening
of the canal. In the presidents opin-
ion. as felt by the average American,
will be i'm the reduction in trans-con-
tinental transportation rates. This
will draw the country closer together.
The orange grower In southern Cali.
fornia who likes to- wear New Eng
land brand OF shoes will quickly. feel
the effect The man employed In a
New England shoe factory who likes
California oranges, will soon realize
the value of tho canal TO him. The
milkman in Seattle. who buys his bot
ties In Pittsburg, will suddenly be-
come aware that the Panama canal
has transported the GLASS factory-in
respect 10 freight rates, half across
the continent.
SO II will go through all branches OF
business and society II will mean
increased activity all around with the
closer relations between the Pacific
and Atlantic coasts. The central
states will quickly reflect the benefits.
one point absolutely essential Is that
the government take adequate steps
TO insure competition and prevent the
ownership of steamer lines using the
canal by trans-continental railroads.
The coastwise shipping business or
this country is confined by law to