The Washington times., 1911-01-16
Appropriation for Present
Body Only Legislation At
This Session.
NOTICE GIVEN TO
TAFT AT DINNER
Protectionist Leaders on Ways and
Means Come Out Openly
Against 1t.

Hope for the proposed tariff commits
sion has been practically destroyed for
not only this session of Congress-, but
for the next Congress. In others words,
1t is now practically settled there will
be no tariff commission legislation in
President Taft's Administration.
All along, the high tariff leaders on
the Ways and Means Committee have
been at heart averse to the tariff COM
mission idea. President Taft has been
trying to get them to consent to COM
promise. But Representatives Dalzell and
Fordney have been leading In the move
ment to sidetrack the proposed COM
mission. Nor has Representative Payne
been enthusiastic over the commission
idea. Now. the opponents Of the COM
mission have come out in the open, and
1t was made plain at conference at
the White House last night that they
have no notion of letting a tariff COM
mission bill get through Congress.
Discussed at Dinner.
The President entertained the mem
bers of the Ways and Means Commit
tee at a dinner last night and then
there was a talk over the tariff commits
sion situation. Chairman Payne and
his associates told the President the
only course was to make an appropria-
ton for tariff board at this session.
They put 1t up to the Democrats that
nothing could be done about a commits
sion in the short session.
The President was told that the Sen
ate Democrats would not let a tariff
commission bill through and had prac-
tically served notice to this effect. Fur
ther, the President was advised that If
he ta6 m Uaf q 1iGCi
through. he might lose the tariff board.
The sundry civil bill will carry $5O0,OO0
for the tariff board. and, while 1t has
not been formally settled, It is likely
President will agree to put this through
and let tariff commission legislation go
by the boards.
Meaning Twofold.
The meaning of this is of two-fold i'm
portance:
1t means, first, that there can be no
tariff commission in this Administration,
because the Democrats, once in control
Of the House, will not provide for a
Second, it means that the country will
soon be without even tariff board, for
it is regarded as well-nigh certain that
the Democrats when in power will op-
pose even provision for that body.
That there will be no tariff commits
sion legislation this session, and that
IT will not even be easy to get an ap-
preparation for the existing tariff board
is the sum and substance of predictions
made by the American Economist, the
official organ of the Protective Tar1ff
League, which represents the high tariff
in Congress, as well as out
OF II.
1t is pointed out that the differences
of opinion among Republicans over
tariff commission legislation, to say
nothing of Democratic opposition to
commission, are going to make It hard
for the commission idea this
session. On the other hand, President
Taft is active in urging that the tariff
board shall have a substantial appro-
priation at this session. The President
is said to realize that with the opposi-
ton the Democrats will make in the
next Congress to the board, or any
by authority into the
Of the tariff law, II will prob
ably be cripped for lack of funds, and
that it is essential to get an allowance
for 1t now IL tits to continue its work.