The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-15
Tariff Commission Pitfalls.


face the actual making of tariff rates,
they realize the deplorable lack of in
formation upon thousands of items in
the tariff act and the great need of a
permanent, impartial body for its
scientific study. They have faced a
situation, the exigencies of which have
swept away many party preiudices. II
the friends of a tariff commission pre-
sent the subject tactfully and nonpar-
tisanly, there is fair prospect of sue
cess. True success can only be
achieved, however, by avoiding the pit
falls along the road.
There is a nebulous idea among
some Democrats that the tariff COM
mission should be part of the legis-
lative rather than executive branch OF
the government; in other words, that
it should be made up of members of
Congress and selected experts. Men
who have studied this proposition
with any care recognize the fact that
it will not I'LL the need of tariff COM
mission 1t would simply do the same
work that the present committees of
Congress are doing, and by its very
nature it would be partisan, since it
would be subject 10 the political con-
troll of the majority party. Its find
ings would necessarily be colored by
the tariff policy of the party in power.
A legislative commission may do eff
fective work upon special investi-
cation as the Aldrich commission did
upon the currency and banking ques-
ton, but even this splendid work was
discounted because of the political
standing OF Mr.. Aldrich. A tariff
commission to be effective must be a
part of the executive branch OF the
government, its members appointed by
the President, and reporting to the
President and to Congress. 1t should
be as much beyond political influence
as the Bureau of Corporations and the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
II.
The tariff commission bill offered
by the Progressives in the House is
too complex. Ii attempts to regulate
in minute detail the work of the COM
mission. A simple. broad statement
OF the commissions powers and limi-
tations is essential to its success.
Ill.
1t hardly needs to be pointed out
that a tariff commission should not
have power to make or even recon-
mend rates. In our system OF govern
ment this is the peculiar work of
Congress: it would not only be I'M
desirable but unconstitutional. Tariff
rates are determined by politics, and
the making of them cannot be taken
from politics. The gathering of in
formation, however, can be taken out
Of politics, and this is the peculiar
work OF tariff commission
Who should be members of the
tariff commission? In Germany the
manufacturers themselves are mem
bers. 1t has been urged in this coun-
try that manufacturers, on account OF
their expert knowledge, should be on
the commission. But il is precisely
this influence that we are trying to
separate from tariff legislation. A
commission should be made up. not
OF experts in particular industries
these can be hired when required),
but of experts in investigation. A
tariff commission bill should deny the
right of any party directly interested
IN tariff rates to be member of the
commission.
Too much emphasis has been placed
upon the holding of hearings" by
tariff commission. Bills that have been
offered are full of references to wit
nesses. methods of examination, the
production of books, &c. 1t will seem
startling then to say that such a COM
mission should not be allowed to hold
hearings. except when specially re-
quested TO do so by Congress. The
weakness of the so-called tariff COM
mission of 1882 was that ii confined
itself to examining witnesses. 1t was
no better than the committees of Con-
gress. No tariff commission will ever
take the place of the hearings before
committees of Congress; its field is
the investigation of such subjects as
cannot be reached by cross-examina-
ton. Congress can be relied upon to
continue to FIJI volumes with testimony.
There is a final pitfall. Senator
Cunnniins has fallen into it. His bill
proceeds upon the theory that tariff
rate should equal the difference in
cost Of production, and he would re-
luire his commission to make a find
ing upon that partisan theory. OBJ
viously such bill would not be &C