The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-13
TAI I EXPLAINS
TARIFF THEORY
President Pleads for Long
worth Bill and. for Perma-
nency of Board.
BELIEVES IN CONGRESS
REVISING THE SCHEDULES
Business of Commission, He
Saws, Should Be Ascertain
ing the Facts.

WASHINGTON. Ian. Insignificant
progress was made today in the move
men, for the creation OF a permanent
tariff commission.
Not only did President Taft, in an
address at the banquet of the National
Tariff Commission association. openly
indorse the Longworth Dill, characterize
ing 1t as n "conclliatory measure, en-
bodylng all the important features that
are necessary To make the commission
effective" but early today he summoned
the Republican members OF the ways and
means committee TO the White House and
urged them to harmonIze their differ
enCcs.
The president renewed his plea for
harmony in his address tonight, declar-
Ing that what sl1e was most anxious 10
avoid was the failure OF tariff commits
sion legislation at the present session,
because of any differences as TO details,
He declared that he would not mention
Ohio congressman" except that 1t
seemed to him to constitute very
we'll drawn compromise upon all the dll
ferences OF detail that have existed be-
tween supporters OF various measures
Longworth Bill Features.
The Longworth bill, referred 10 by the
president according 10 Its author. is an
Incorporation OF salient features in the
Lcnroot and the Goode bills of the house
and OF the La Toilette and the Bever-
inquisitorial powers for the tariff com
mission as well as the safeguarding oil
information obtained.
The National Tariff Commission associ-
bill in a resolution sent 10 congress, de-
manding immediate tariff commission
legislation, and 1t was in amplitcation
largely OF the resolution that President
declared for tariff commission. whose
powers and functions should be analo-
gous to those of the Interstate Com
mcrce commission.
Many members of the senate and house
were present at the banquet and among
the speakers were Sena tors Lodge OF
Massachusetts and Cummins Of Iowa and
EepreSe nj tative LonGworth OF Ohio.
"You do not DESIRE said President
Taft, ''if ! understand your present rcso-
lutions. that these men should TX tarift
rates or recommend rates 10 be fixed. You
desire only that they should furnish cor
rect information upon which the body
constltutiopally charged with fixing tariff
rates may properly act so that the pub
lie may have the truth from the taritl
commission and then advise Itself how
congress shall have acted with respect to
that truthful presentation OF premises
for its action,
istlng tariff and crticse II severely
There arc others who uphold IL as a
fair measure on tic whole. Now. II
seems to me that both may logically and
[
mission.
II am not ono Of those who expect that
the tariff commission is going to reform
the whole situation in such n way that
we are to receive from them with mathe-
matiCaI certainty The exact difference N
the cost Of production here and abroad
or other circumstances that are useful IN
framing a tariff bill.
President Favors Compromise.
"But do hope that II the bill passes
the results of the labors OF the commits
sion Will he such that the congress vii
have sufficient information to reach
general average Of fairness and justice
! and that the people will have a reliable
means OF judging OF the correctness OF
! the action of congress.
81 quite agree with this association ir
| favoring a consideration by congress o.
separate schedules or separate subjects
affected by the tarff-so as to prevent
the action on enc schedule from being IN.
duly influenced by promised action upoi
another. 1T is Impossible to avoid this IL
Il general revision.
The reference OF power to punish
| witness for contempt in falling 10 answer
! to the action OF congress is q wise com
promise. ] value very highly the sugges
! lion OF giving the commission power Il
assure those furnishing freely information
! that the details OF their particular busi
ness thus disclosed would be treated al
confidential.
Senator Newlands OF Nevada replied II
| his speech to the objection urged agains
the tariff commission that congress coulc
not delegate Its power OF tariff leSisla'
tion to commission. He declared Tho
/ interstate commerce commission lur
nished an analogous precelcrt.