Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-26

being actually effected and what their
operation would be either upon the
industries protected or upon the cost
of living to the consuming public.
This sense of inadequacy Of infor-
nation in respect to the operation OF
tariff changes naturally reused the .
business men Of the country. who
could appreciate more than any other
class the possible injury and distur-
bance of business by Ill advised leg
islation, to the necessity for reform.
An association was organized among
the commercial bodies of this country
to promote the passage of a bill prov
viding for permanent tariff commits
sion or board which should be con-
stantly engaged in the investigation
into trade relations, should have on
hand the data from which the COM
parative cost of production Of duttabie
articles at home and abroad could be
promptly stated, could furnish to con-
gress the revenue producing capacity
Of all rates of duty, and give all the
other facts with reference to the eff
feet of the operation Of the tarir
which congress ought to know In de-
stermining whether changes We're need
ed or not and in determining how best
taxes might be reduced If there was q
surplus or how best they might be In
creased if there was deficit.
It is said with respect to the tariff
board that its Investigations are not to
be relied upon, because 1t must secure
its information from interested parties
and that no information is available to
it that is not available directly to the
ways and means committee, and that
the committee can secure testimony OF
such people more effectively than the
tariff board. Such statement fails en-
tirely to recognize the real character
of the Investigations of the tariff
board. Material secured by that board
is not in the nature Of testimony Of
different parties examined as to what
they think on any of these facts. 1t is
in the result of an examination of the
books and records of producers and
manufacturers and tabulation from
these by the expert agents of the
board resulting In perfectly definite
and precise information as to the
actual results given by the best in
.dustrial or commercial operations for
a given time. In short, 1t is the sub
stitution of records compiled from the
books of the concerns for the testi-
mony Of individuals.
Then again 1t said that other
bureaus or agencies of the govern
ment longer established and Of better
organization have been made or are
making, all the Investigations of this
kind necessary The maker of such
an objection fails to appreciate the
marked difference between the work
Of the board and most other agencies
Of the government. The work of the
tariff board is not primarily statistical.
Other agencies of the government. es-
pecially in the department Of agricul-
ture and the department of commerce
and labor, carry on statistical inves-
legations of much Importance, much
OF which has to be used by the tariff
board. and in all cases the tariff
board endeavors to avoid any duplica-
ton OF work OF this kind But such
statistical work as to production, I'M
ports and exports, number Of people
employed, earnings per week, ETC.,
are very small part OF the investiga-
ton necessary for a consideration Of
tariff problems. No agency of the gov
eminent has ever done even statistical
work primarily with view to consid-
ering the effects of tariff rates on pro-
ducers and consumers. For instance,
there Is much printed material on the
subject Of wages in different lines Of
industry, but practically none OF this
is of much value for a discussion Of
tariff questions, since wages per day
or per week signify little as to the
actual labor cost per unit OF article.
The investigation now being made by
the tariff board into the textile in
dustries will develop knowledge re-
garding wages In relation to the
amount Of output, efficiency Of labor
ers and machines in this and leading
foreign countries of character never
made public before and based on the
actual wages paid and output secured
Of the thousands Of laborers and thou
sands of machines, as shown by the
payrolls Of the companies checked up
by the earnings of individual men. :,
do not contend that the tariff can
be taken out of politics. in the sense
that It will never be made subject
of political discussion. Men differ
radically as to the economical wisdom
Of protective tariff, or a tariff for
revenue only, and that must always
be the subject Of political discussion.
But there is means Of taking the
ascertainment of facts away from a
tribunal like that of the ways and
means committee, which Is necessar-
lily hurried in its inquiries and neces-
sarily lacking in thoroughness and the
temper necessary to reach the most
impartial conclusions. It is possible to
transfer those Investigations hereto
fore made by the ways and
means and finance committees to
tribunal which will make a. thorough
and impartial inquiry. do not mean
to say that the tariff board which
have appointed is constituted by the
best method possible do not think It
is. I think 1t would be better to have it
appointed by the president, with the
confirmation of the senate, and to
make It independent of the president
and of congress as far as that may be
possible under our system. do not
say that the present board Is as in
dependent as any board can be, but l
admit that its method of appointment
is such that conditions might arise
having tendency to rob It Of its Inn
M rffa1 character TherefOra 7 ven.