The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-09-25

operations for a given time. In short,
ii 10 the substitution of records COM
piled from the books of the concerns
for the testimony of individuals.
1t wifi also appear that the meth
cd of investigation is quite different
from that of a congressional com
mittee, and the information afford
ed much more detailed in character,
and on the other hand, is much
more condensed than the informa-
ton developed by the. verbal exami-
nation of witnesses. The work of the
board up to date in the way of de-
tailed inquiry has been through sew
eral dozen agents working on the
books of persons engaged in the pro-
duction or manufacture of the arti-
cles in question in foreign coun-
tries and abroad What COMPRESSION
al committee ever even attempted
such an investigation, covering, as il
must, many months of time? Besides
this work of investigation of CLOS
sary for many of the schedules Gov
ering not only the important stafis-
ties bat a description of each article
enumerated in the tariff, with an ex-
PLANTATION of its relation to thu i'll
dustry, it's Importance to producers
and consumers, and the nature of the
tariff duty imposed. Besides this
technical experts have been employ
ed to make special reports on special
schedules of the tariff, which will
serve as basis for later invest,ga-
ton of a more detailed character
Preliminary work of this kind for
instance, has been done in the case
of iron and steel, which will be the
next subject of inquiry after the COM
pletion of the work on cotton and
woolens
1t has been said that members OF
the ways and means committee are
themselves experts on tariff matters,
and that they have had years of deal
ing with tariff statutes TIE charac-
ter of the Investigations made by
members of the ways and means
committees everybody knows. 1t con-
ssts in calling men engaged in the
business and inviting their opinion
as to the necessity for a tariff and
as to whether it should be lowered
or raised. Such Investigations are the
very ones which have met the criti-
cism of the public and have given
rise TO a demand for more scien
tifie and impartial method of secur-
ing the facts upon the legislation
which is to be passed.
1t is objected that with reference
to the cost of production there can
be no scientific conclusion. If by this
is meant that there will be found to
be no exact mathematical measure
of the difference III the cost OF pro-
ducton of goods in one country and
of goods in another, ii is true. Con-
aHions vary in different states, in
different provinces. and in different
counties They differ between diff
ferent manufacturers, and the diff
ference in the cost of production be-
tween two countries Is therefore
difference that can not be stated
with definiteness. 1t must be vari-
able amount, and must be so stated;
but when thus stated with variations
it may, nevertheless, be accurate and
Just, and ought to be, so that the
tariff can be adjusted to the facts as
they are rather than to the facts as
interested parties would state them
The report of the board on the paper
and pulp industry was Illuminating.
1t gave the average cost of produc-
ton, with all the elements, showed
how it differed between the mills in
the same country and between the
mills of the two countries. and dem
onstrated that on the whole the rea
average difference in the cost of pro-
duction was measured by the differ
ence in the cost of the raw material.
the pulp wood, iii the two countries.
# is such conclusions which with the
means of securing them. the Ameri-
can people have the right themselves