Arizona republican., 1910-12-29
THE TARIFF
 COMMISSION Draft of [OngWOrth Bill for
 Its Creation OF ENACTMENT
Chairman Payne of Ways and Means Committee Believes That It Will Be Passed Before the End of the Short Session.

Washington, Dec 2S.-An impetus to the movement Tor d permanent
 tariff commission was given today by conferences at the White House and the capitol on the return of Rep
 resentative Longworth to Washing
 ton with d full draft of d bill cre-
 ating the commission and by the an-
 nOuncement of Chairman Payne of
 the ways and means committee of the house that he expected such leg
 islation before March
 Following a discussion with the
 president over various features of
 the legislative program for this ses-
 sion, Mir Payne announced that he
 was sure a bill for such d cOmmis-
 sion, acceptable to the president. would be put through the senate and
 house before the session ends. Later, at MT Payne's instance. he had a conference with Chairman Emery of
 the tariff board regarding the per
 sonnel and salaries of the proposed commission.
 Mir. Emery contended that the na- ture of the work and the character of the men the commission would need would make it impossible to operate advantageously if the positions and salaries were rigidly fixed by con- gress. his idea being that these should be fixed by tn, commission itself He suggested that industrial experts might be engaged for varying terms at various compensations.
 Mir Payne believes there should be legislative check on the aggregate expenditures. but he said he would agree to the necessity of freedom of action by the commission in individ- ual items
 Embodying features of the tariff commission bills by Senators Beyer- idge of Indiana and LaFollette of Wisconsin. introduced in the last ses- sion of congress, and by Congress- men Goode of Iowa and LenroOt of Wisconsin at this session. Mir Long worth, a member of the ways and means committee, has drawn a bill which he expects to introduce next week. IL creates d commission of five members at a salary of $7,50O each, not more than three of the same political party. with offices in but empowered to meet anywhere.
 The commission is given wide pow CTS for the collection and collation. of facts, without authority to make rec concentrations. and instead of mak- ing fixed reports, it can only report on a special call by congress or the president. The members shall appear with data before the senate com mittee on finance ond the house com mittee on ways and means. the two which have to do with tariff legislation.
 The commission Is authorized to require confidential data from cor porations on any subject. but must never disclose the source and must safeguard competitive in- terests.
 An important provision of the Longworth bill authorizes the com mission S investigate the cost of production of all articles covered by the tariff, with special reference to prices paid for domestic and foreign labor, prices paid for raw materials. whether domestic or imported. and the conditions of domestic and for aign markets affecting American products, including detailed informa- ton as to the cost of every element which in the commissions judgment will be helpful to congress in pro- riding equitable rates of duty.
 one section re-enacts the maximum | md minimum clause of the Aldrich- l Payne tariff law. Under the Long | worth bill. the five commissioners l will be appointed by the president, | the first for two, three. four. five i md six year terms. respectively, but these tenures shall adjust themselves | .o a regular siX-year terms for all.
 The ways and means committee | will take up the commission question | soon after congress recOnvenes. Some | If the members oppose the commits | sion idea, holding that it puts into l being another body with high sal | dries and creates a big general eX- Dense for work that should be done | Dy the department of commerce and ! abor. or some other regular depart | nent.