The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-15
Agitation for Tariff Commits
sion Is a Positive Proof
of Their Powers.
ARE TIRED OF UNREST
Their Original Plan Consid-
cred Humorous by Poll
ticians, but Not Now.
~ RopERick CLIFFORD.

Washington, Jan l4.--What Ameri.
can business men can accomplish In
legislative matters IL being effective
being waged before Congress to Sc
cure a tariff commission which shall
handle scientifically the big problem
Of tariff making. A year and a half
ago business men OF the country tired
with the business unrest tariff revis.
Ions cause. settled upon tariff board
or commission idea, as solution OF
their problem. Their original plea
was considered humorous by the poll
.icians and certain members OF the
Senate and House claimed that this
plan was an attempt to take from con-
gress It's constitutional right to I'M
pose taxes and levy revenues.
Make New Resolve
This has come, or Is about to come.
10 pass. because American business
men decided that II was time for them
10 give a little less Of their energies to
their own particular affairs, and de.
vote some of their time to showing the
country ut large. and congress In par
sicular. how the problem that has been
turning political parties upside down
and affecting business stability,
should be dealt with.
This idea was the genisis OF the Ma.
tional Tariff Commission association.
an organization formed In lndianapo-
lis. In February. 1909. by representa-
lives of some of the strongest and
most important commercial bodies OF
the country. for the sole purpose OF
securing the enactment Of legislation
lect facts, figures and necessary data
that should enable the president and
congress to raise or lower duties intel.
ligently.
The gathering ut Indianapolis in.
cluded such leaders In commercial life
~ d. NJ. Perry. Of Indianapolis. Alba
B. johnson. OF Philadelphia. George
w. Sheldon. OF Chicago; Henry r..
Towne. president of the Merchants
association of New York; John Chand-
Ter Cobb, vice president of the Boston
Chamber of Commerce.: Henry T. VIII
liz. economist and writer on foreign
trade affairs: John Kirby. jr. Of Day.
ton. Ohio: Professor Il. v. Robinson,
81 the University OF Minnesota; II. f.
Miles. OF Race. Wisconsin; J. J. Gull
berso. of Paris. Texas. and Charles M.
Jarvis. Of New Britain. Connecticut.
All these men are directors in the
association, and have been conspicu-
ously active In the campaign which
has caused "a complete reversal of
public opinion regarding the useful
ness Of tariff commission. Their
campaign has brought not only the
business interests. but also the leaders
at the Capitol. to realization of the
necessity for having such IA perma-
nent body. M....
Success 10 Certain.
II Is such men as these who have
been successfully backing the presi-
dent In his fight for the passage of the
bill creating the commission. and it
has been their vigorous support in
the face OF the covert. yet deep seated
opposition OF the politicians that has
brought the campaign up to a point
where there seems little doubt Of it's
success.
During the Christmas holidays.
President Taft broke his intention to
rest only when he took up the tariff
commission proposition. There have
been daily conferences on the subject
at the White House for the past two
months. a tariff commission Is the
main plank In President Taft's legis.
lative program. He has made 1t known
to members Of the senate and house
that II all the other measures he de-
sires enacted into law fail at this ses-
sion there must be no failure in the
creation OF a permanent tariff board.
This Is the present Taft hobby. and II
will remain SO until permanent tar.
ln board IL working.
The temporary tariff commission,