New-York tribune., 1910-09-04
ROOSEVELT |NOORSES
TARIFF COMMISSION
Gives President Taft Credit for
That Feature of the
Payne Bill.
PRESENT SYSTEM WRONG
Maximum and Minimum Pro
visions Of Law Commended
and Inquiry Into Labor
Conditions Favored.
TR~ Telegraph TO The Tribune

and inquiry into LABOR
Conditions Favored.
[R~ Telegraph TO The Tribune
Sioux Falls. S D. Sept. 3.-Ex-Prest-
dent Roosevelt greatly surprised some of
his closest friends to-day by talking
about the tariff commission and giving
President Taft credit for this feature of
the Payne bill. which he approves. Mr..
Roosevelt condemned the system by
which the tariff bills are now made. and
insisted that the only sane and sensible
way to make a tariff bill is by ascer-
tanning. through the medium of a tariff
commission, the exact difference be-
tween the labor cost here and abroad
and then promptly adjusting one sched-
ule as soon as such information is ac-
quired.
L was certainly pleased" said Mr.
Roosevelt. with what the President said
IN his letter on the subject of a new
tariff commission. and l am glad that
the country seems now to have definitely
awakened to the idea that a tariff COM
mission offers the only solution Of the
problem which is both rational and in
| sures the absence Of jobbery. The Presi-
dent from the beginning advocated this
| commission. It was only by a bitter
| fight that the friends of the commission
| idea in the Senate and in the House got
through the provision. 1t is not yet in
satisfactory shape. The commission It
| self should be enlarged and its powers
greatly enlarged and defined and any
necessary changes made that will make
its work more effective from the stand
point both of the Executive and Con-
eress but the establishment of il makes
an excellent beginning in the right df-
rection Moreover, the value of the COM
mission as provided has been made real
by the action of the administration in
| constituting in broad fashion the law that
provided for it"
Would Protect Laborna Man.
7 believe IN such 2 tariff measure Of
protection as will equalize the cost OF
production here and abroad, that will
eoualize the labor cost" said Mr.. Roose-
welt
"I believe in such supervision. in the
working Of the law. as to make certain
| that the protected Industry gives that
difference to the men that we are most
anxious to protect-the laboring man
and f find that is not given, would
| take off the tariff duty on the particular
thing I believe in protection on that
| basis as principle. but if It Is a, mere
tumble of preferences and privileges
| then I am against it
| Colonel Roosevelt also commended
| highly the ma xiraura and minimum pro-
vision and thr work of the adninistra-
ton in its application, especially IN Sc
| curing an agreement with Canada, and
| the Philippine tariff as well. He took
| occasion to pay high tribute to Senator
| DoIliver a the man who introduced the
| first tariff commission amendment. 10
Representative Hubbard and to Repre-
sentative Martin of South Dakota, who
| was present and whom, he described as
men who would stay hitched and who
would not kick over the pail.
Mr.. Roosevelt also discussed the fnan-
| cial methods of two railroads. which he
| did not name.
Two great railroads are now at work
on a piece of construction work where
| I have no question that the stock is
! being honestly provided for and repre-
sents honest work. he said But
| under the present system, I have reason
| to believe a great mass Of bonds will be
| issued which will represent in effect
| bonus to certain big men who ought to
| have something for what they have done,
| but who ought not to have anything like
what they will get. Under the laws al
| present We cannot stop il, and instead
| of denourcing the big men for what they
! have q legal right to do the wise thing
| is to give US power to prevent the re
currence of such an abuse So in deal
| ing with everything affecting corpora
| tons
| This vas at Sioux City, where Mr..
Roosevelt addressed a crowd that packed
| the grandstand ard the bleachers In the
Mizzou Ball Park. and covered the en-
| tire diamond IN the centre Of which
| temporary stand had been erected. The
| police regulations here were excellent. a
! solid line IF national guardsmen main
tanning an open line from the rear plat
form of the Roosevelt car TO the stand,
| not ONLY At the beginning, but through
out the meeting,
At Sioux Falls, before an immense au-
! dience. Colonel Roosevelt again took up
the tariff. saying of it. among other
things: The people know that there
are some things in it which are not
right and therefore they tend to sus-
| meet the-as l think-more numerous
| things in it which are right" He said
that the people knew that the present
| system encourages a scramble of selfish
interests TO which the all important gen
| eral interest of the public is necessarily
subordinated He declared that it was
! A bsolutelv necessary to have a thor
0ughly efficient tariff commission, and
declared further that il should be the
duty of some department or bureau of
the government to investigate labor con-
ditions to see that the laborers really
were getting the benefits of the tariff
supposed to be enacted in their interest
River and Harbor improvements.
Colonel Roosevelt also discussed river
and harbor appropriations, and took oc-
cssiou To commend the commission of
experts which Massa Chusetts, under the
guidance of Governor Draper, has
adonted While the ex-Preeident didn't