Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-11

vate interests but such legislation as you
think would be of permanent and general
benefit. Your deliberations cannot fall TO
be profitable and harmonious, Ii you bear
always in mind that only two things are
necessary and essential: First. the facts.
and, second, continuous source from
which these facts may be derived.
Need Scientific Investigation.
III. L. Miles. chairman of the eSecu-
tive board Of the association, made the
next address.
Commencing the work Of the tarin
board and urging that it be made a
permanent body, Representative Sam
uel w. Mccall OF Massachusetts.
member OF the ways and means com
mittee of the House of Representatives,
urged the need for scientific investiga-
on OF the elements of the cost of pro-
duction in all parts of the world. tie pre-
sented a plea for the recognition OF
the constitutional prerogative or the
House over tariff laws" charging that
special interests have vastly more IN
fiuence in the Senate.
He said in part:
The prime purpose of such a com
mission is the scientific determination
of the economic facts necessary Tor the
information of Congress. but what Is
of really more Importance, for the IN
formation of the people.
The cost of production here ana
abroad is a proper subject of inquiry.
but I doubt whether il deserves quite
the Importance that has been given 1t
since it first found a place in a pc.
litical platform two years ago. III
there are hundred different concerns
engaged in producing different arti-
Giles. are we to take the cost OF pro-
duction of the most efficient one OF
these concerns, or of the most expen-
sive?
Ascertain Cost of Production.
IF we take that cost which is the
highest in fixing the tariff the other
ninety-nine are likely to fatten upon
an unnecessary amount of protection
On the other hand, IL we take the one
which Is the cheapest and best man
aged the others may be driven out OF
business. and economically the most Ia
vored establishment may develop into
a domestic monopoly.
THE cost of production should be as
certained along with other elements. and
then the commission or the board should
be authorized to report all the facts d.
rectly to Congress, Another function
of which little has been said, but which
it is most important that the commits
sion should perform, is to ascertain the
effect of the tariff upon the prices of
general consumption.
would remove many subjects from the
realm of political discussion. and settle
in the public mind issues which we now
attempt to settle by loud assertions by
one party and equally loud denials by
the other. But we must not expect too
much of such a commission. 1t cannot
operate as an artificial deity and sep
arate us from all our troubles I'm the
making Of tariffs. The sins committed
in the framing of tariffs are not all sins
Of ignorance.
Always Obnoxious to Some.
"There never has been a general tariff
bill passed which did not contain some
duties obnoxious to any intelligent men,
Der of Congress who had carefully stud
led the bill. Congress, of course, must
frame and pass tariff bills, for that is
a function confided to it by the Con-
stitution, and cannot be delegated to any
commission.
with the vast complexity of interests
sectional difficulties can be minimized