Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-04-03
GIVES VIEWS ON TARIFF
Authorized Interview With the Presi-
dent Appears in the
Outlook.
REGARDS IT AS AN ISSUE.
Believes Tariff Board Has Proven
Its Value to Country. Some
Things to Think
About.

President Taft has given an au
thorized interview on tariff making
1t is entitled Common Sense vs.
Haphazzard Methods" and appear:
in the current issue of the Outlook
1t was secured by a special represen.
tative of the Outlook, and is in part
as follows
Net that l wish to see the tariff
question made the mere football OF
politics. President Taft explained
I'VE have had too much of that al
ready, but | should like to have the
people Of the United States pass
their deliberate judgment on the is
sue as it has been made up within
the last year-the difference between
common sense and the haphazzard
way of making tariff law. AS you
know, | am a believer in the repub-
lican policy of protection. | want
to see it continued; but | also want
to see our party strengthen it by
giving it an underpinning which can
not be swept away by the first pass
ing flood of popular sentiment
And this purpose could be ac-
mplished-how?" l asked.
|
ures not dictated by group of do
mestic producers for their own en-
Iichment, and granted in exchange
for party support, but based on the
difference between the cost of pro-
duction abroad, ascertained by means
which preclude all doubt of the sub
stantial accuracy Of the calculation.
Second, by establishing on a per-
manent foundation the machinery
for collecting data of cost, so that
it can be in continuous operation,
and its work ever more and more
easily done. This machinery, | need
not tell you, should be in charge
of tariff commission or board, cor
responding in 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
single tariff bill or series of bills;
and, not unnaturally, those who wish
to see the government economically
administered, question the wisdom of
spending so much money and en-
! ploying so many experts for the prep
1912, in view of the possibility that
all this work may be torn up and
done over as soon as new set of
hands take charge of our public af-
fairs. Now, it is just such a con-
ltingency that the tariff board is de-
signed to avoid. The collection of
data to guide this years legislation
is only first step. From new on,
if congress consents to proIong its
existence, the board will continue
collecting data through the channels
1t has already opened, and with the
aid of men trained in their duties y
After reviewing the work of the
board at considerable length the in
terview continues:
ITO return to the broad question
Of tariff revision, you are not dis
heartened by what some critics say
about the danger of keeping the
country in a perpetual ferment of
nervous apprehension regarding COM
ing changes.
Nothing could do mere to prevent
such a feTment than the very plan
we are now considering. Hitherto,
we have seen the whole tariff struc-
ture torn to pieces and rebuilt when
ever there has been a change of
parties in control at Washington,
and even sometimes when the same
party has remained responsible but
the personnel of the group in COM
mand has changed. Such overhaul
ings are always accompanied by a
more or less violent CONFUSION of
business, followed by a state of stag
nation, protracted through the whole
period while the outcome continues
at all in doubt. The new bill is talk
ed about fer long time before 1t
is framed; there are extended hear
irgs in committee, and afterward a
series OF secret sessions behind bar
red doors and debates at some length
on the floors of congress; and after
all these there is a possible interval
Of ten days during which, if the bill
is suspected OF being distasteful to
the president, its fate at his hands
remains uncertain.
At the committee hearings ex
parte statements are presented by
men peculiarly interested in the sew
ersl trades and industries which are
liable to be affected by the proposed
| ..
to grind eitler brings it to congress
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 revision, and the changes of
conditions in various lines of produc-
tion and commerce in the interval,
rouse general dread lest there be
heavy increases of duty in one quar-
ter or deep cuts in another; and,
unhappily, feeling has widely pre-
vailed that the decision where to
make such increases and cuts would
be reached, not by calm considera-
ton OF the merits of each case, but
} by log-rolling or rack-scratching
process"