Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-14
TAFT LIKES LONGWORTH BILL
Incorporates Salient Features of
Various other Proposed Measures.
IS WELL DRAWN COMPROMISE
People WIN Have Reliable Means OF
JudEtnE Correctness OF Action Of
ConEreas-ApprOves Action
by Schedules.

ny Schedules.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. - significant
progress was made today in the movement
for the creation Of a permanent taritt com
mission. Not only did President Taft In an
address at a banquet OF the National Tar
III Commission association, openly endorse
the l.ongworth bill, characteriziug 1t as
conclliatory measure embodying all the
important features that are necessary to
make the commission effective but early
today he summoned the republican mem
bers OF the ways and means committee to
the White House and urged them TO hsrm-
onize their differences.
The president renewed his plea for har-
mony in his address tonight, declaring that
what he was most anxious to avoid was
the failure Of tariff commission legislation
at the present session, because OF any dit-
| ference as to details. He declai ed tnat ne
would not mention thu bill that bears the
name OF the Ohio congressman" except that
It seemed to him ito constitute a very well
drawn compromise upon all the differences
OF detail that have existed between the
supporters Of various measures
LonEworth Bul Compromise.
The Longworth bill, referred to by the
president, according 20 the admission OF
| its author, is an incorporation Of salient
features in the Lenroot and the Goode bills
OF the house and the La Toilette and the
Beveridge bills Of the senate. 1t provides
for inquisitorlal powers for the tariff com
mission as we'll as the safeguarding Of
information obtained.
The National Tariff Commission associa-
ton early today endorsed the Longworth
bill in a resolution sent to congress de-
manding immediate tariff commission leg
islation and II was amplifcation largely
of the resolution of the association that
President Taft spoke tonight. The associa-
ton had declared for a tariff commission
whose powers and functions should be
analogous to the Interstate Commerce
commission.
Many members Of the senate and house
were present at the banquet and among
the speakers were Senators Lodge of
Massachusetts and Cummins OF Iowa, and
Representative Longworth Of Ohio
you do not desire" said President Taft
III understand your present resolutions
that these men should fix tariff rates OF
recommend rates to be fixed You desire
only that they should furnish the correct
information upon which the body consti-
tuuonally charEeL with fixing tariff rates
may properly act, so that the public may
have the truth from the tariff commission
and then advise itself how congress shall
have acted with respect to that truthful
presentation OF promises for its action.
Roth sides support Commission.
There are those who oppose the exist
ing tariff and criticise it severely. There
are those who uphold it as a fair measure
on the whole. Now It seems to me thai
both may logically and properly supper
the creation of a commission.
Il am not one of those who expect tina
the tariff commission is going to reform
the whole situation in such a way that W,
are to receive from them with mathemat
ical certainty the exact difference in tn
, cost of production here and abroad, o
other circumstances that are useful II
framing a tariff bill.
But l do hope that II the bill passes tn
results of the labors of the commission will
] be such that congress will have sufficien
information to reach general average o
, fairness and justice and that the peopl
4 Will have a reliable means Of judging o
, the correctness Of the action OF congress.
II quite agree with this association Fl
! lfavoring a consideration by congress o
separate schedules OF separate subjects AT
fected by the tariff, as to prevent tn
action on one schedule from being undul
4 influenced by promised action upon an
other. 1t Is impossible to avoid this in
general revision.
"A discussion arises as to whether tn
body thus constituted should have tn
4 power Of summoning witnesses and OF pun
2 ishing them for contempt. Ny own im
precision Is that this manner OF obthinin
4 evidence is not the most reliable and |
not likely to be very productive OF usefu
4 information, because the form is neces
a sarily suggestive Of hostility to the vii
\ ness: and the answers OF a hostile witnea
= are not full OF accurate and unbiased in
= formation. Nevertheless II It was though
useful, do not object to giving the powe
n to the commission to call witnesses an
2 to put them under oath.
d To Refer Power to Congress.
1.-THE reference OF power to punish
n witness for contempt I'm falling to answs
n TO the action Of congress Is a wise con
n promise. ] value very highly the suggei
ton of giving to the commission power
. assure those furnishing freely informatlo
n that the details OF their particular bus
q nesses thus disclosed viii be treated &
n confidential.
1.-THE truth is that there is a bill wit
N the framing Of which / have had nothir
10 to do but which seems to me TO constitu
a a very well drawn compromise upon q
the differences OF detail that have existt
between the supporters Of various mea
ures.
THE present tariff board Is working we
p but II Is dependent wholly on executi'
~ order and appropriation II should
e. 81.
n congress which may desire to avoid Il
"a useful source of Information which II W
N furnish shall have to take the respons
m huIIv Of rennalInR the law