New Ulm review., 1910-10-19
The Tariff Com mission.

favored tariff commission, non-par-
tisan, with power to compel the testi-
mony of witnesses and report direct
to Congress, with the intent that Con-
gress may thus receive accurate infor--
nation upon which different tariff
schedules may be revised as necessity
dictates.
T. F. Ellsworth, in his platform,
makes a rather vague statement which
apparently is intended to cover the
same ground. In his speeches, Mr..
Ellsworth is attacking Hammond
because Hammond voted against the
so-called tariff commission in the last
session.
These are the facts relative to the
so-called commission. Section 2 of
the obnoxious Payne-Aldrich law
authorized the President to employ
certain men to obtain information to
assist him in his duties of carrying
out the provisions Of the Payne-Al-
drich law. The duties of these men
were simply to ascertain whether other
countries were using unjust discrimi-
nations against the United States. If
! they reported that such unjust discri-
min ations existed, the President, under
the provisions of the PayneAldrich
act, was expected to apply the maxi
mum tariff rates against such coun-
tries, otherwise the minimum tariff
+ rates would be in effect against them.
At the last session of Congress an
amendment was offered to the Civil
Sundry Appropriations Bill setting
aside S250,000.00 to be used by the
President in hiring men to obtain this
information for him. The original
amount set aside had been S75,0 900.
= Hammond considered So 0,000 too
large a sum to be used in educating
the President and voted against the
amendment. Because of this vote
Ellsworth is trying to create an i'm
preston that Hammond opposed a
tariff commission.
.r Now in point of fact there is no
Garlff commission. There is provi-
sion for the President to employ GER
tain men to obtain information for
his own use. The purpose is not that
Congress may have information con-
-, Tariff may be subsequently revised in
accordance with the information thus
obtained. The appropriation was
proposed by Tawney. 1t was favored
oy Cannon; and defended and engi.
aeered through the Senate by Aldrich
After its passage an effort was made
= o convey the impression that a tariff
commission had been created.
Senator LaFollette's magazine
,nder date of July 80, 1910 says:
1.-THE tariff commission law is {
!old brick. It creates a commission
7ithout powers and gives the specia
- interests s25O,000 of the people,
money to carry on the campaign
,gainst scientific tariff making."
The Wisconsin State Republical
Convention in its platform adopte
September %, 1910 makes this state
lent:
900. ''The present tariff board has n
aoWer of investigation and is not rt
uired to report to Congress. W
avor the creation of a non-partisa a
ariff commission empowered to a.
ertain the cost of production in tn
nd other countries and required
- make frequent reports of the inform;
ION gained to Congress. Upon tt
attenuation so obtained Congres
hould proceed to revise the differe
chedules independently Of each 9th
ccordlng to the true protective tar
rincipals."
Common sense has taught US to
autious in hurrahing for measu
which Payne, Cannon and Aldri
earthly approve. Mr.. Ellswor
taims to be a Progressive Republica
he one issue that he is trying
ceate in his campaign is putting h
de by side with the rankest stan
. alters of both houses. It is true th
le vote for the appropriation
100000 was not vote on tariff co
tission. Opinions naturally m
onestly differ as to the advisable
making so large an appropriate
assist the President The fact IL
- srtain representatives and senate
oted for or against this appropr
on has nothing to do with th
.ews relative to a real bona fde tai
,mmission. Nothing could mt
,atify the interests than that Il
gold brick" should be accepted q
. al commission. 1t does not SOU,
th Hammond's platform; it does