The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-20
WHO SUGGESTED
TARIFF COMMISSION
Aldrich Has Urged It for
Many Years
RATE DECISIONS EFFECT
Railroads Have Already Collected Adj
vanced Rates for Two Years and
VIII Have to Refund Only
In Very Rare Cases
RATE DECISIONS EFFECT
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD

washington, November 19-(Special.)-
During the past few months. since tho
tariff commission has begun pushing Its
endeavors. to ascertain the real cost of
production of industrial products in this
production abroad, discussion has arisen
In financial circles as to just when the
first agitation arose as to the creation
of a tariff commission.
A P. Andrew, newly appointed assist
ant secretary of the treasury, declares
that the agitation did not arise during
the present administration, when the
present tariff board was established. In
explanation, Secretary Andrew said:
only was the tariff unscientif1cally ad-
justed by two and four-year-old congress-
men, from time to time, but that the day
would come when party and national dis
aster would attend on this haphazard
way of dealing with one OF the most
vital points of our national problems.
1.-THE agitation" he continued, FOR a
tariff commission did not begin with the
present administration, nor with the pre-
ft0eo OAo. II VI IL vi ~ ySaiS 4>CioOh w
Aldrich, United States senator from
Rhode Island. successfully urged all
movements that would tend to create
such board, while at the same time
other senators succeeded in combating
such movements as were made in the
national legislature. 1t was not, however,
until President Taft lent the powerful
aid of the executive that the measure
passed Congress and became law.
Aided by the intensity of public opin-
iok on the questions of the tariff, Pres
ident Taft did the country a great serv-
ice by bringing the matter of the tariff
commission to the fore at a time when
It's enemies were busy with something
else. But those enemies quickly dropped
their other business to knife the plan
proposed, for such 81 plan contained with
In 1t the fate of all future revisions.
The President wanted q commission 'ap-
pointed with certain well defined and
specific powers resembling those Of a
duly constituted court of inquiry. At
first many of the powers of the commits
sion were pared away by the enemies of
the commission. Then all the powers to
appoint were cut off by sharp legisla-
tive lodges. Lastly, an endeavor was
made to have the employ rather than
appoint substituted in the bill and it
was successfully inserted against a de-
termined stand by those who did want
a real tariff commission. The upshot of
the matter was that President Taft was
allowed 900 to employ certain men
to do whatever they could do TO as
certain the true value of the production
of things I"
The commission as 1t is now organ
lied. cannot compel witnesses to attend
Inquiries. ard they cannot make any
one show their books. They can't do any
thing in a way BETTING the dignity of
representatives of the. President. Any
revenue officer. drawing a salary of $1,000
a year, is clothed with more power than
the distinguished employees of the Presi-
dent:
Thus the tariff commission idea rests
in the intention of President Taft and
a few who have, in spite of other diff
ferences, consistently fought with him
for this reform. No one, ii seems, doubts
the Presidents determination. to make
the commission real commission, APP
pointive instead of employed, and clothed
with powers sufficient to enabel it TO do
It's work properly. If the President Is
able to obtain greater results in the next
Congress than was forthcoming at the
close of the last Congress. he will, 1t
is said, accomplish the biggest thing that
mas already marked his administration
cussing the working of the commission.
said: 1.-The thing to do at present is to
keep the people alive to the fact that
the tariff commission Is not all that 1t
should be, and that the President needs
a Congress to enable him to put the plan
far beyond the interference of men who
are considered enemies of the scheme.
There have been so many commendatory
remarks about the commission that 1t
is a common error to say that 1t is in any
way a complete self-reliant working
body. Thousands have laid back in the
comfortable belief that all our tariff
troubles are really over. This is wrong.
The President still has the big fight
before him and he needs all the help he
can get
Shippers in the south, middle west
and in the territory surrounding the
Mississippi and Missouri river crossings,
who are interested in the so-called Mis-
souri, river rate case, decided In their
favor by the supreme court of the United