The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-25

might be reduced If there was a sur
plus or how best they might be in
creased if there was deficit
The Tariff Board.
Through a provision in the Payne
bill, I was able to appoint a board OF
three, and with appropriations fur
nished by congress to direct them to
make a glossary of the tariff, or an
encyclopedia, by which any layman
might inform himself as to the actual
ad valorem rates imposed, although
specific rates were provided, and all
the other facts enabling one to take
up tariff and intelligently to study its
meaning.
The movement for the permanent
organization of q tariff commission,
after the passage of bill for that pur-
pose was put through both houses,
failed by reason of a hlibuster and the
shortness of the last session of the
Sixty-first congress. Sufficient money
was given me, however, to continue the
board which I had already appointed.
increased its membership by two, in
order to make it q nonpartisan board,
and I directed it to do the work that
the bill which failed had prescribed
for the permanent tariff board to be
appointed Hereunder At the instance
of a Democratic senator, the perman-
ent tariff board in an appropriation
bill which is now law, was directed if
established, to make report on
Schedule K on the 1st of December
next. I issued an order to the tariff
board, newly constituted, to prepare a
report on Schedule K and Schedule /,
the wooden and the cotton schedules
by that date, which bring in the re-
ports at the opening of the regular
session of congress.
In order to secure an adoption Of the
Canadian reciprocity treaty called a
special session to discharge the prom
ise I had made to the Canadian au-
thorities. At this special session the
three tariff bills were passed which l
vetoed. and 1 vetoed them chiefly on
the ground that time had been
taken to investigate the effect of the
changes which were proposed and that
they ought to await the coming in OF
the report in December, when we
should have full information at least
on the question of wool and woolens
and cotton manufactures. There were
other grounds for Withholding my ap-
proval from the bills, which are set
forth in the messages. but for the pres
ent I do not wish to consider. l am
anxious here to bring forward the
issue as to the necessity for tariff
board TO advise congress of the facts
in respect to dutiable articles and the
operation of a tariff before it shall be
adopted into law.
It has been said that the tariff board
is a mere pretext, that it is a board Of
my hirelings and clerks, and that it is
absurd for me to delay congress in the
enactment of that which is it's highest
privilege-to wit, revenue measures
until 1 can secure, through an agency
of mine, information as to the wisdom
of the proposed bills.
My exercise of the veto power at all
is severely criticized as a remnant of
the royal preroEative and my attitude
is compared to that of George III. OF
course 1 understand that these periods
of rhetoric are usual under such cir
cumstances, and I do not find myself
greatly troubled by them when called
upon to exercise a clearly imposed
constitutional function.
The constitution of the United States
says that
every bill which shall have passed the
house of representatives and the senate
shall. before it becomes a law. be pre-
sented to the president of the United
States; if he approve he shall sign it.
but If not he shall return it, with his
objections, to that house in which it
shall have originated, who shall enter
the objections at large on their journal
and proceed to reconsider it.
Followed the Constitution.
I did disapprove these bills, and I
withheld my signature, fol-
lowing exactly the injunction of the
constitution. The truth is, that instru-
ment makes the president part of the
legislative power in the enactment of
bills. I could not avoid the RESPONSE
bi1ity, and having the responsibility, I
must meet it and exercise the function
imposed on me in accordance with my
best ability. I did not feel that the in
formation was at hand, either for the
use of congress or myself, upon which
the bills proposed ought to have been
passed. The mere fact that in the case
of certain schedules there ought to be
reductions was not a sufficient reason
for making any kind Of a reduction.
Revenue measures of this sort, in
which the protective principle has
heretofore been recognized and en-
forced have a direct bearing upon the
business and prosperity of the coun-
try, and substantial change in the
rates ought not to be made without an
earnest inquiry as to the effect that
may be had upon the Industries affect
ed The reform aimed at in the or
ganization Of a tariff board for the
purpose of making an impartial inves-
tigation into such facts as are relevant
to these issues is of the highest I'M
portance to the country. In the long
run believe it to be of higher import
ance than the reduction of any par
ticular schedule. The agitation for
such a board in the last two years has
been greatly in the public interest, and
now to throw away the benefit secured
by this public movement toward a bet
ter method of readjusting the tariff is
to take a retrograde step.
The tariff board has been referred to
sometimes as a board of experts on the
tariff. This is hardly a correct de-
scription. 1t would be impossible TO
secure a board all the members of
which had expert knowledge upon all
the subjects of the tariff, for the II or
Is schedules are very broad in their
scope and include much of what is
or produced in the
world. Indeed, it is by no means clear
that it would be of advantage to have
in the board itself men who are ex-
perts upon the making and sale of par