The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-13
Declares Himself in Fa-
vor of PermanentTarif
Commission.
REVIEWS PLEA
FOR HARMONY
Speaking at Banquet of Tariff
Association, President Heartily
Lauds Its Aims and Voices
Hope That Congress Will
Pass Desired Legislation
at This Session.

ashinston y. G.. January l2-sig
hihcant progress was made to-day In
the movement for the creation of a
permanent, tariff commission. MOI only
did Presidcn, Taft In an address AT
ne banquet of the National Tariff Com
mission Association, openly indorse the
| LonGworth bill, characterizinr /; "as a
conciliatory measure, cnbodyinr All.
| the important features that are ncccs
sary TO make the commission effectiv.
out early to-day nc summoned the re-
phoiican members Of the Was and
cleans Committee to the White House
| IN" urged them to hnrinonize their diff
fcrenccs.
IN" National Tariff Commission As
So'iation closed Its session to- day with
NC unanimous adoption OF "A rcsoln-
tion emanding OF Congress the ms
sag Il, the present session OF lcpisin-
uoh creating permancn; tariff com
mission, having functions and com
! pehaation analogous TO the Interstate
Commerce Commission
I'iend. for harmony
Inc Prcs.den; renewed his plea for
! harmony In lis address tonight. de-
claring that what he Was most anxious
10 avoid was the failure OF tariff com
mission legislation ut the present ses-
sion because of any difference as To
"DETAILS lie declared that he would not
mention tho bill that bears tho name
Of the Ohio Congressman" except that
II seemed TO him 10 constitute a very
well drawn compromise upon all the
differences of detail that have existed
between the supporters OF various
mea sUres"
The LonEworih bill. referred to by
tho President according to the ;.dmis-
iE IN tn.
OF salient features in the Lcnroot and
! the Goodc bills. Of the House, and the
La toilette and the 3tvcridgc bills, of
the Senate. and provides for inqulsi.
torial powers Tor the tarif commission.
! es veil as the safeguarding Of infor-
stion obtained.
The National Tariff Commission early
to-day had practically indorsed the
LonSworth bill in a resolution sent 10
Congress demanding immediate tariff
com mission Legislation. and IL was In
qualification largely OF the resolution
OF tho association that President Taft
spoke to-ntSnt The association had
declared for II tariff commission whose
powers and functions should be anal
! oGous 70 the Interstate Commerce Com
mission Many members OF The Senate
| and House were present nj the banquet.
and among the speakers were Senators
Lodge. Of Massa chusetts. and Cummins.
a. representative
worth OF Ohio.
All ,iny support II.
There are those who oppose the eN-
I isting tarin and criticize il severely"
said President Taft. There are those
who uphold II ls fair measure on the
whole. Now ii seems 10 me that both
may logically and properly support the
creation of commission. whose lind
ings. If the former are right, will indi-
cate the necessity for tariff changes,
and that the latter may We'll and con-
Sistently support the same commission,
with the hope and belief that the in
vcstigations viii show that the present
tariff is not unjust or unequal in its
operation, or, Ii SO. that IL is only SO
in the case of few schedules.
II am not one OF those who expect
that the tariff commission is going TO
reform the whole situation i'll such
way that we are TO receive from them
with mathematical certainty the exact
difference in the cost of production
here and abroad, or other circumstances
that are useful in framing a tariff
bill. Matters of that kim are neces-
sariiy matters not of exact ascertain
ment. but of judgment and general
average.
But / do hope that If the bill
passes the results of the labor of the
commission will he such that the Con-
TO reach general average of fair
ness AMI Justice. and that the people
viii have il reliable means of judging
OF The correctness OF the action of
Congress. Then, III Congress shall de-
part from the economic theory of the
majority Of the people in the action
taken upon this reliable information
offered, the people will have resources
to the method adopted so often in the
past-that of turning out the party in
power and putting in a new party to
carry out the then prevailing popular
theory. But ii is of the utmost inn
portancc that the action before Con-
grcss and The people shall he taken Of
reliable evidence. Anything that
tends to make that evidence and the
conclusions from 1t fairer and frecr
from political bias ought to be en-
couraSed
Approves Plan.
Il quite agree with this association
in favoring consideration by Con-
grcss of separate schedules or separate
subject matter affected by the tariff
so as to prevent the action upon ono
schedule from being unduly Influenced
by promised action upon another 1T
is impossible TO avoid this in general
revision.
What am in favor of is hill
which Will get through both houses
without acrimonious dispute over un.
lmnortant features of the bill and
without arousing either Jealousy or
suspicion, or partisan and unreasonable
criticism.
."rhe present tariff board is working
well. but IT is dependent wholly on
executive order and an appropriation.
1t should be made permanent In some
form. So that any Congress which may
desire to avoid the useful source OF
Information which 1t Will furnish shall
have to take the responsibility OF re-
| pcalng the law"