Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-07
TARIFF commission
BOOSTED BY DRANTLEY
Georgian Gives His Views and
Says He Has Great Hopes
of the Future
By RALPH SMITH.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3-The speech of
Congressman William q. Brantley. OF
Brunswick, in the house Monday night,
In support of the creation OF a tariff
commission, is of more than passing in
terest. in view OF the fact that Mr..
Brantley Is to be member of the ways
and means committee of the SD con-
gress. AS such, his opinion concerning
the tariff Is Of prime Importance, and
his utterances at this time consequent
ly command attention.
Mr.. Brantley Is not an idealist, who
believes that the day will ever come
when the tariff will be taken out of pol
tiles. He does believe, however. that
the day will come that he can foresee
it-when the tariff laws will be framed
on correct information and established
facts, painstalking and scientifically ana
lyzed, and understood.
ut is unbelievable that so long as
the line Of cleavage exists between a
tariff levied for protective purposes and
a tariff levied for revenue-so long as
the demand continues for a purely pro-
tective tariff-that the tariff will cease
to be a political question and a politi-
cal issue, said Mr.. Brantley, address
ing the house
HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC.
For myself" he continued, II am too
read In the future, as some of my breth-
rem do. disaster for my party by rea-
son of the enactment of this bill. because
by reason of our victory in November,
lslo, I am assuming that in November,
1912, a Democratic president will be
called to the White House"
This optimistic prophesy by the Geor-
gian called applause from the Democratic
members OF the house
And If that occurs Mr.. Brantley re-
sumed, then in July, 1913, the board
authorized by this bill will be a Demo-
cratic board, and win so continue
throughout that Democratic administra-
ton. I am too loyal Democrat to
agree !. that information will ever
embarrass the Democratic party"
Mr.. Brantley paid a glowing tribute 20
the memory of the late Henry G. Tur-
ner, of Georgia, who was his predeces-
sor in the house. He SAID
Zone OF the greatest Democrats who
ever sat In this body, one of the pur-
est. strongest, ablest men who ever
graced this house, one whose splendid
reputation was largely based upon his
eloquent and unanswerable logic against
the protective system-my distinguished
predecessor the Hon. Henry G. Turner.
said in a speech in this house. on the
tariff,
The doctrine that congress can en-
act a tariff for revenue keeping in
view it's influence upon industries,
has been too long settled to admit
of Encouragement with me.
MR.. BRANTLEY'S TARIFF IDEA.
The congressman dwelt slightly on his
idea of what the Democratic tariff
should be, and this declaration is Of
first Importance. He said:
Democracy, as understand 1t. be-
lieves in a tariff for revenue and abb
hors the doctrine of protection, but
does not close fits eyes TO the fact that a
tariff even for revenue alone does AFFECT
the Industries of the country. A Demo-
cratic tariff should be so levied as In
the first place to be just to the gov
eminent, by yielding a revenue amply
sufacient for governmental purposes;
lust to the people, the consumers, by
not giving an undue advantage to any
industry; and just to the industries OF
the country, by seeing to It that as they
IRE not undu.y favored. neither snail
thew be unduly handicapped IN the strug-
gle for supremacy in the markets OF the
world. For these purposes, purposes in
cident to and part Of a revenue-tar1n
system, accurate and detailed informa-
ton covering a very wide scope Is vital
and necessary.
49,
a discussion of the necessity for scien-
tiic and accurate information concern
ing the tariff. He challenged the mem
bership of the house and the laymen of
the country to say what the tarin rate
actually levied on any article amounts
to.
The Payne-Aldrich law, he said, Is
saturated with protection, is so cunning
Iy framed with it's ad valorems and spe-
cities. it's additions and subtractions by
reason Of fineness, weight numbers and
otherwise, that only an expert can tel
the amount of duty imposed Tariff leg
islation should be simplified, he thought
and the white light of publicity shoulc
be turned ON. The injustices, the Inc
Qualities. the Determinations. the ini
Duties should be exposed. The exposure
will come, he believed, II the people Will
continue to favor the Democratic party
and tariff commission OF experts would
uncover the truth.