New-York tribune., 1912-03-01
Wants Peoples Deliberate ,Judg gment on Issue
The Common Sense as Against Haphazard
WAY Of Framing Law.
DEFENDS TARIFF COMMISSION
Mr. Taft in Interview in THE Outlook" Declares That
the Republican Party Should Give Policy Foun-
dation Which Cannot Be Swept Away by
the First Passing Flood

The current issue of The outlook con-
tsins an interview with President Taft on
tariff r1skins entitled Common Sense vs.
Uaphazsrd Methods" 1t was secured by a
sneciat representative Of THE outlook" and
Is. in part as follows:
''Not that | wish 10 sec the tariff CUES
,ion made the mere football of politics
President Taft exrlained: I'VE have had 100
much of that already But ] should ike
~ have the people of the United states
mass their deliberate judgment on the issue
as IL has been made up within the last year
the difference between the common-sense
way and the haphazard way OF making
tariff law. As YOU know, I am believer
IN the Republican policy Of protection. l
want 10 sec II continued hut also want to
sce our marty strengthen IL by giving it an
underpinning which cannot be swept away
by the FIRST passing food of popular senti-
nent"
"And this purpose could he accomplished
how" asked.
First by fixing tie rates AT hgures not
dictated by group Of domestic producers
for their own enrichment. and granted IN
exchange for party support, but based on
lion here and the cost Of production abroad.
ascertained by means which preclude all
doubt Of the substantial accuracy of the
calculation.
Second. by establishing on a permanent
foundation the machinery for collecting
the data of cost so that il can be in con
iinuous operation and its work ever more
and more easily done. This machinery
need not tell you. should be In charge or a
tariff commission board corresponding In
o general way with the nOn-partisan Tarln
Board We now have.
"A good many persons evidently think
that tho whole purpose Of tarin ooaro
is 10 collect material for 2 single tarih Dill
or series of bills: and. not unnaturaiIS
those who wish TO see the government eco
ronnically administered question the WIS
dom Of spending so much money and ON
rloying so many experts for the prepara
ton of the tariff legislation of 1912, IN view
Of the possibility that all this work ma!
hs torn up and done over as soon as new
set Of hands take charge Of our public
affairs Now II is lust such 4 contingency
that the Tariff Board is designed 70 avoid
n The collection OF data 10 guide This year
VI Ierislstjon is only a first step From now
Y on. u Congress consents 70 proons IT'S eX'
istence, the board will continue collecting
data through the channels it has ALREADY
onen.d. and with the aid Of mon trained
IN their duties"
Work Of Tariff Board Reviewed.
After reviewing the work of the board al
considerable length the interview con
tinues:
ITO return IN the broad question Of tarf
revision. You are not dlshcartened by what
some critics ray about the danger Of keep
ing the country in = perpetual ferment OF
nervous appre hensior regarding coming
changes?
Nothing could do moro to prevent sucl
fermeut than tho very plan We ar" now
considering. Hitherto We have soon the
whole tariff structure torn 20 pieces an'
rebuilt whenever there has. been change
n parties In control at Washington. and
even sometimes when the same party las
remained responsible hut tho personnel 4
the group iu command has changed. Sucl
overhaulings arc always accompanied oy q
more or loss violent convulsion Of business
followed by stat" of staSnaton. protr1ct'
"a through the whole period while tho cut
continues az al IN bouHl iI' IL "
r,ll is talked about for Il long time before
il ~ framed; there are extended hearings
in committee. and aCtervard series oi
socrct sos-iou, behind barred doors and
dcpa,os ~ some length ou the floors OF
,oneres-. and after all thcS" there Is 4
tcssipi, interval Of ten DAYS during which
Il tho hin is suspected Of being distaetofu
io ~. President its fate at his hands Ic-
mains uncertain. At tho committee hear
II.s - part" statements arc presented h\
men pe,ularlv interested in the soFera
trsde, and industries which are liable tC
oe affected by tho proposed iegislaii 'n
Evervbod, with an aNc to grind either
brings II TO Congress himself "r tries I,
influence that body through an agent on
the ground. lu every instance the length
Of time which has elapsed since the last
revision and the changes Of conditions IN
NsilouS lines of production and commerce
in the interval rouse general dread lest
there be heavy increases Of duty in one
quarter or deep cuts in another aud. un-
happily. 4 feeling has widely prevailed that
the decision where ~ make such increases
and cuts would he reached not Icy Il calm
consideration of the merits of each case
nut hy a log-roiug or back-scrdtcnins
process.
Such unsystematic ways of patching a
tarif together open wide the avenues foI
perjury and other fraud. for special plead
ing. for appeals 30 the most sOrdid political
motives. for the exercise OF gross favorit-
Ism and the wGeaking of petty rercugcs.
and have given rise even 10 charges Of bIi-
berv and Investigations shadoWiuc the good
reputc Of men high IN the councils Of tho
nation. Is IT a pleasant reflection that sIcu
an atmosphere is liable TO continue sur
rounding our tariff legislation indefinitely?
Eliminates Shock Of Surprise.
what have pc to offer as substitute ?
a system which keeps always at the dis
possl of Congress. and open 10 the people,
= chart Of tho worlds producing activities,
corrected almost from day to day. Tho
change ,otcd IN the foreign cost of pro-
ductiou of various commodities are doubt
less Individually slight; in one case they
may swing pendulum-linc, a little this way
aud "a little that. ending their agitation At
about the same point where u began IN
another there may be a steady trend 10
onc sd. foi while. due 10 causes not diff
ncult 10 discover through the machinery
of ihc Iarin Board. but by the tim" the
divergence las become 50 marked and con
tnued 50 long ~ TO make change in this
e schedule desirable everybody viii bc pre-
rsred for il and can estimate just about
how much Of change it ought 10 be This
eliminates the now customary shock Of
surprise. Thus We have "A highly important
part Of the work Of laUmaking brought
down TO a. almost automatic basis at any
ba Of