The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-31
Republican Leader Says That Not Much Legislation
 Is Needed
PAYNE MAY INTRODUCE
 BILL ON TIE SUBJECT
Commission Is Favored By Payne Be. cause He Believes That Is Best Method to Handle the Tariff
 Question
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEy

Washington, December 30.-(Special)- Chairman Payne of the House commit- tee on ways and means. which will short ly act upon the provision to create a permanent tariff commission does not be- lieve there is much need sfor additional legislation beyond giving permanency to the existing tariff board.
 Whether it is to be called "commis- sion" or board or is to consist of three members as at present or of five mem- bers as proposed by the Longworth plan is not so material in his Judgment. The most important thing to be accomp- lished in this connection now is believed by him to give pernanency to the board by statute law.
 Chairman Payne said that he had not seen the Longworth bill, which has not yet been introduced although It's text is in Washington. He also made the statement that the Longworth bill was not framed as ways and means eommit- tee bill. As he understood the matter it would be introduced by Mr.. Longworth as his personal bill and would be con sidered with the other tariff commission
 bills now pending before the commit- tee.
 Twill you introduce a tariff commis- sion bill?' MT. Payne was asked. T have introduced no bill," he replied. T cannot say yet whether l shall intro- duce one or not. There are several of them before the committee and others will come to us by introduction after the holidays. l don't know whether it would
 be necessary for me to introduce such a I raj fn whether l will or will not do so, be- cause l don't wish to stop myself from
 doing so if I so elect"
 Mir. Payne was asked whether he favors the proposed commission plan of ascer- taining facts for submission to Congress 10 aid it in handling the tariff question. i He replied that his position Is, Or should be we'll understood. that he had made it clear in the campaign.
 | When asked for a statement he dictated tho following: "I think that the present tariff bill will get a good deal of infor- nation. don't think we really need much additional legislation.
 "I think the present tariff bill ought to have some other basis of existence than annual appropriation, that it should be given a permanent basis under the statute law
 l Chairman Payne declined to elaborate, | but explained in a conversational way that he thought the important thing is | to make the tariff board permanent. He
 voiced no opposition to the creation of a commission, but intimated that 1t made | little difference whether the body getting the facts Is called commission or a
 board, or whether 1t consists of three or | five members, so long as it contains just
 enough members to do the work entrusted
 to them. He said he had always been op-
 posed to the creation of large commits
 sions," as being both expensive and un-
 wieldy.
 Herbert Is for Harmon Col. Hillary A. Herbert of Alabama
 thinks Governor Harmon of Ohio will be
 the democratic presidential nominee. Col
 onel Herbert was secretary of the navy | in the Cleveland cabinet when Governor
 Harmon was attorney general and there
 Is a warm friendship between the two
 men who sat at the Cleveland round
 table. The Alabamian does not believe
 the Ohioan is handicapped by his official connection with the late President. That's past" was Colonel Herberts
 brief comment upon the suggestion.