Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-03-01
Points Out Folly of Continuing
Present System of Haphaz-
ard Hearings and Juggling
For Political Advantage.
SUBMITS HIS CAUSE TO
SOBER THINKING PEOPLE
Authorized Interview With
President in Outlook De-
fendS Executive Action and
Cniticises Congress,

my Morning journal Special LEASED wire.l
New York, Feb. 2a.---President Taft
has given an authorized interview on
tariff making. II is entitled, "Com-
mon Sense VS.. Haphazard Methods
land appears In the current issue of
the outlook. II was secured By q
Especial representative of the outlook
land is In part as follows;
mot that ! wish 20 see the tariff
luuestion made the mere football of
politics" President TAFT explained,
we have had too much OF that al
lready. hut should like to have the
lpeople of the United States pass their
deliberate judgment on the issue ns
~ has been made up within the last
Iyear-~-the difference between the
common sense way and the haphaz-
ard way of making tariff law
AS YOU know, | am believer In
1.-The republican policy Of protection. /
want to see II continued: but | also
want TO see our party strengthen It
lhy giving IL an underpinning which
cannot he swept away by the first
passing flood of popular sentiment"
And this purpose cocld be accom-
plish hed---how?" | asked
| First, by fixing the rates az figures
mot dictated by domestic producers
for their own enrichment, and grant
ed in exchange for party support, but
based on the difference between tha
lcost of production here and the cost
Iof production abroad, ascertained by
means which preclude all doubt OF
the substantial accuracy OF the cal-
fcuiation
Second. By establishing on per-
manent foundation the machinery Tor
icollecting, the. data ot cost, 50 that L
Team he III continuous operation ana
: Its work ever more and more easily
done, This machinery, I need not
tell you. should be In charge of
tariff commission or board, cores
bonding in a general way with the
non partisan tariff board we now
have.
"A good many persons evidently
think that the whole purpose of a
tariff board is to collect material for
a single tariff bill or series of bills;
land not unnaturally those who wish
to see the government economically
administered. question the wisdom OF
spending 80 much money and em-
lploying 40 many experts for the prep
laration Of the tariff legislation of
1919, In view Of the possibility that
lall this work may be torn up AMI
done over as soon as q new set of
hands take charge of our public af-
fairs.
Now, II IL lust such contingency
Iavoid The collection OF data TO guide
this years legislation is only a first
step. From now on. If congress con-
sents To prolong its existence the
board will continue collecting data
through the channels Il has already
opened and with the aid of men
trained in their duties.
You are now dsheartened by
what some critics say about the
danger of keeping the country In "a
perpetual ferment of nervous appre-
hension regarding coming changes
Nothing could do more to prevent
such ferment than the very plan
we are now considering. Hitherto, we
have seen the whole tariff structure
torn to pieces and rebuilt whenever
there has been change of parties In
control at Washington and even some
times when the same party has re-
mained responsible. but the personnel
of the group In command has chang
ed. such overhaulings are always ac-
companicd by a more or less violent
CONFUSION Of business. followed by a
period OF stagnation while the out
come continues AT all In doubt.
The new hill Is talked about for
long time before IL is framed there
are extended hearings I'm committee
and afterWnrd secret sessions behind
barred doors and debates at some
length on the floors of congress; and
after All these, there is possible in
tcryal of ten DAYS during which. IL
the bill h suspected of being distaste-
ful To- the president, Its fate at his
hands remains uncertain.
''At the committee hearings cX-
parte statements are presented bv
men pecuniarly Interested In the
several trade ana industries which ara
likely 10 bc affected by the proposed
l.. H..
length III time that has elapsed since
the last revision, and the changes
NJ conditions I'm various lines of pro-
duction and commerce in the interval
rouse a general dread lest there be
heavy increases of duty in one quar-
Ter or deep cuts in another.
"Insystcmatic ways OF patching a
iariff together open wide the avenues
for perjury and other fraud. for spe-
riai pleading. FOR appeals TO the most
sordid political motives. for the ex-
arcise of gross faVoritism and tho
Nroaking Of petty revenges. and have
liVrn rise even To charges Of bribery
and Investigations shadowing the
good r~pute of men high in the coun-
ills of the nation.
what have we to offer as n sub
'tituteg system which keeps always
ID the disposal OF congress and open
o the people. n chart Of the worlds
Producing activities. corrected almost
rom day TO day. The changes noted
u the foreign cost Of production Of
are doubtless individual
B slight in one case they may swing
lcndulum-like. ending their agitation
u about the same point where II be-
,an. In another. there may be
neady trend to one side for while.
ine 10 causes not difficult 60 discoN-
.r through the machinery OF the ta-
- l. ~. Iaas. a