Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-02
TAFT INTERVIEW
ON The TARIFF
PRESIDENT EXPLAINS COMMON.
SENSE. AS OPPOSED TO HAP
HAZARD METHODS.

SENSE AS OPPOSED TO HAP
HAZARD METHODS.
PUTS IT UP TO PEOPLE
Would Let Sober Thinking Ameri.
cans Pass on Question Of Wheth-
er to Frame Tariff Scientific
cally or by Log Rolling.
New York, March president
Taft has given an authorized inter.
view on tariff-making. 1t is entitled
Common Sense VS.. HaphaZard Meth
DDS" and appears in the current issue
of The Outlook. 1t was secured Dy a
special representative of The OUTLOOK
and is in part as follows: =,
"Not that l wish to see the tariff
question made the mere football OF
politics." President Taft explained;
"wehavehad too much Of that already,
but should like to have the people
of the United States pass their deilo-
crate Judgment on the issue as 1t mas
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, l
am a believer in the republican policy
of protection. l want to see 1t con-
tinued; but I also want to see our
party strengthen it by giving 1t an IN
xpyh}
away by the passing food of popular
sentiment"
"And this purpose could be accom-
plished how?' asked.
First, by fixing the rates at figures
not dictated by a group OF domestic
producers for their own enrichment,
and granted in exchange for party sup
port, but based on the difference be-
tween the cost of production here ana
the cost of production abroad, ascer-
tanned by means which preclude all
doubt of the substantial accuracy OF
the calculation.
Second, by establishing on perma-
nent foundation the machinery for COL
lecting the data Of cost, 80 that it can
be in continuous operation and its
work ever more and more easily done.
This machinery, I need not tell you,
should be In charge of tariff commits
sion or board, corresponding In a gen
eral way with the non-partisan tariff
board we now have.
Would Perpetuate Tariff Data.
"A good many persons evidently
think that the whole purpose of tar
if board is to collect material for a
single tariff bill or series Of bills; and,
not unnaturally, those who wish to see
the government economically admin
istered question the wisdom of spend
ing so much money and employing so
many experts for the preparation or
the tariff legislation Of 1912. In view
of the possibility that all this work
may be torn up and done over as soon
as q new set Of hands take charge OF
our public affairs. Now, 1t is just such
contingency that the tariff board Is
designed to avoid. The collection OF
data to guide this years legislation IS
only a first step. From now on, II
congress consents to prolong Its ex-
istence, the board will continue col
lecting data through the channels it
has already opened, and with the aid
of men trained in their duties"
After reviewing the work OF the
board at considerable length the in
terview continues: g..
ITO return to the board question OF
tariff revision, you are not dishearten-
ed by what some critics say about the
danger Of keeping the country In
perpetual Torment 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 a change Of parties in
control at Washington, and even some
times when the same party has re-
manned responsible but the personnel
OF the group in command has changed.
Such overhaulings are always accom-
panied by more or less violent con-
vulsion of business, followed by state
Of stagnation protracted through the
whole period while the outcome con-
tinues at all in doubt. The new bill
is talked about for long time before
it is framed: there are extended hear
ings in committee, and afterward a
series of secret sessions behind barred
doors and debates at some length on
the floors of congress; and after all
these there is q possible interval of
ten days during which, If the bill is
suspected Of being distasteful to the
president, its fate at his hands re-
mains uncertain. At the committee
hearings ex parte statements are pre-
sented by men pecuniarily interested
in the several trades and industries
which are liable to be affected by the
proposed legislation. Everybody with
an AK to grind either brings it to con-
gress himself or tries to influence that
body through an agent on the ground.
In every instance the length Of time
which has elapsed since the last re-
vision, and the changes Of conditions
in various lines of production and CON-
merce in the interval, rouse general
dread lest there be heavy increases OF
duty in one quarter or deep cuts in
another; and, unhappily, feeling has
widely prevailed that the decision
where to make such increases and cuts
would be reached, not by calm, con-
sideration of the merits of each case,
h,,x ~, = 1or mr. hack Srrofc ching