Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-29

H#N &A
Photo by American Press Association
board to secure the needed Information
for the proper amendment and perfection
of the law. The difficulty in fixing the
proper tariff rates in accord with the
principle stated in the Republican plat
form Is in securing reliable evidence as to
the difference between the cost of produc-
ton at home and the cost Of production
abroad. The bias of the manufacturer
seeking protection and of the importer
opposing 1t k the weight of their
testimony. Moreover, when we understand
that the cost of production differs In one
country abroad from that In another, and
that 1t changes from year to year n
from month to month. we must realize
that the precise difference in cost of pro-
duction sought for is not capable Of def
mite ascertainment, and that all that even
the most scientific person can do in his
investigation is, after consideration of
many facts which he learns, to exercise
his best Judgment in reaching a conclu-
sion.
The commission, however. already Sc
Iected and at work, Is a commission or
disinterested persons who Will ascertain
the facts-not in a formal hearing of wit
nBSSGS, UuI ny tlS hlLIo VI IiNSSliS1NiOiA
that statisticians and scientific investiga-
tors use. When the commission COM
pletes its work either on the entire tariff
or on any of the schedules in respect to
which issue has arisen and the work of
the commission shows that the present
tariff Is wrong and should be changed l
expect to bring the matter to the atten-
ton of the congress with a view. to IT'S
~ndm of the tariff in that partieu-
lar. OF course this will be impracticable
unless congress itself shall adopt the
parliamentary rule, as 1 hope 1t will,
that a bill to amend one schedule of the
tariff may not be subject to a motion to
amend by adding changes in other sched-
uleS. @
It will thus be possible to take up a
single schedule with respect to which 1t
is probable that a great majority of each
house will be unprecedented, to admit the
evidence and to reach a fair conclusion,
and this method will tend to avoid dis
turbing business conditions. For these
reasons it seems to me that all Repub-
lIcans-conservatiVe progressive and rad
lcai-may well abide the situation with
respect to the tariff until evidence now
being accumulated shall justify changes
In the rates and that 1t Is much better for
them to vote for Republicans than to help
create a Democratic majority which
would be utterly at war with the protec-
tive principle and therefore would nave
no use for the findings OF the tariff COM
mission, as We may certainly infer from
The solid Democratic vote In the present
congress against the necessary appropria-
'iou for the commissions work.
One great virtue In the new tariff law.
including h corporation tax. Is that
taken with the current effort of the ad-
ministration to keep down or reduce gov
e~rnmental expenditures and to reform the
methods of collecting the customs reve-
nue., 1t has by its revenue producing ca
pacity turned a deficit In the ordinary
operations of the government of $58. 000, 900
for the year ending June 80, 1909, to a sur
plus in the first full year of the law, end
ing Aug. 5. 1910. OF $26. 900. 900, From a rev.
enue standpoint, then, there can be no
controversy over the effectiveness OF the
new law. Increased revenue indicates in
creased Imports, and an examination OF
our imports during the last year Will dis
close a most substaptial increase In man
ufacturers' materials from which, In the
making of finished products, whether for
expectation or home consumption, has
come a larger volume OF employment for
our wage earners a larger purchasing
power and a greater consumption of the
products of our farms and fabrications
or our factories. So far, then, as such
1mpoftatlons do not displace home pro-
duction. they must be of benefit to all.
Generally speaking. a full measure OF in
dustrial activity In production. transpor-
tation and distribution has accompanied
the operation of the new law. Under the
maximum and minimum provisions we
nave concluded treaties with all foreign
nations, gaining the best possible terms
! for entrance to their markets without
sacrlhcing our own. By the Payne tariff
law we have at last done justice to the
philippines by allowing the producers Of
those Islands the benefit OF our markets
with such lin Satjons as to prevent in.
Jury to our home industries.
Again, the present law In it's corpora.
ton tax imposes a new I n Of tax which
has many of the merits of an income tax
II taxes success, not failure. Unlike {
personal income tax. It is easily and ex
actly collected. and by an Increase or de
crease in the rate enables congress witt
eXactness to regulate its income to iti
necessary expenditures. More than this
1t furnishes an Indirect but effective
method of keeping the government ad
vised as to the kind of business hone By
all corporations. It is one OF the mos
useful and important changes In our rev
enue laws. as the future will show. II
spite of the criticisms heaped upon It a
its passage. no party responsible for rev
enues or anxious to retain every meant
of legitimate supervision of corporations
will repeal It.
The next most important work of tn
present ongress was the passage Of In
amendment TO the Interstate commerce
bill, The Republican platform favore'
amendment to the Interstate commerce
act with a view to giving greater powe
to the interstate m commission Il
regulating the operation of railroads anl
the fixing of traffic rates. and also favore,
II national legislation and supervision
as would prevent the future overissu
Of stocks and bonds by interstate carriers
After the adjournment OF the congress a
its extra session 1 invited two of m,
cabinet to make recommendations as t
the needed amendments to the interstat
commerce act. These gentlemen reporte
to me and in September last In a speecl
In Des Moines. 1 f-oreshadowed their re
concentrations as / intended to MAX
them to the congress for the amendmen
OF the interstate act.
First. by the establishment OF a com
merce COURT second. by empowering tn
commission 70 classify merchandise a
well a. TO H. rates for classes third. b
giving the right to q shipper to d~esignat
the route by which his goods shall b
transported beyond the tine OF the lnltis
carrier. fourth. By empowering tho com
mission to consider the Justice or fniastie
OF any rate without the complaint OF mi
tiation Of a shipper; ffthy 2 ~empowerIn
&ha commission 20 gttsDet T0qoS9& Ii