The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-23
TARIFF COMMISSION NEEDED.


vide tariff commission or board 'to
assist tho President in negotiating re
ciprocal trade agreements with for
eign countries is undoubtedly
proposition that is both practical and
necessary. Indeed, the tariff board or
commission should be invested with
much larger duties than this. Such
board or commission should have the
power OF inquiry at all times, should
remain always in session, should report
TO Congress yearly as 10 the opera
tious OF the tariff bill. with recommen.
dations for amendment or new legis'
lation 1t should point out to Con
gross and TO The public the effect Of
tariff legislation upon every product
imported or used in this country. IL
should give information as to the home
cost of production Of any article IN
ordinary use or likely to be imported
in this country, compared with such
cost in other countries. It should point
out the different workings of II specific
tariff law and a tariff law where the
duties are imposed ad valorcm. In
short. it should be mine of informa-
tion for the use and guidance of Con,
gress in framing tariff laws and in
making such changes, either general or
in detail, as might be found advisable
from time to time.
AS it is now, there is no question
but that the tariff legislation is largely
enacted in blind way, Congress
adopts theories as to what should be
done by way Of fixing duties, without
having any guide to 90 by save only
the results of former legislation. But
these results arc liable TO change at
any time. and they are apt to be moro
| accidental than scientific. What is
needed Is more definite. actual informa-
tion that will serve as real guide for
| Congress in tariff legislation.
The present attempt at revision is
supposed to be very largely in the in
terests of the importers, but some Of
the largest importers in the United
States CRY out against it. Thus, Mr..
! E. n. Van Ingen, the largest importer
of wooden goods in New York and rep
resentative Of all the woolen goods i'm
porters in that city, declares that the
administration features of the bill are
"unfair, unavoidable, arbitrary, and
| tyrannical - He says that their
formulation constitutes ga victory for
the highly protected American manu-
| facturers in their efforts TO hamper,
harass, and injure importers This
| is precisely the criticism that The Trib-
une made upon the claim that was
| made that taking the tariff off from
wool would reduce the cost Of woolen
goods to those who buy those goods
for wear or for household use. 1T was
our idea that the combines Of the
woolen manufacturers and the whole
salers would be effective i'll con.
trolling the prices, without regard to
what the tariff bill might enact, for it
| would evidently be moro TO the inter
est Of the importers to Join the manu-,
| facturers and wholesalers and keep up
the prices since they would reap tire.
mendous advantage thereby, than to
| put down the prices and get smaller
and more uncertain profits, Since com
blna ton and not competition or cut
ting rates is the order of the day in
business, and since all concerned would
reap immense profits through the re.
duction of the tariff and the keeping
up of the prices to the ultimate buyer,
the case seems to be perfectly plain
jue that no reduction is TO be ex-
pected by reason of free wool. In.
deed, it is openly stated now by the
Democratic leaders that the people
need not look for any relief through
the tariff legislation in the way of re-
ducing the cost Of living.
With regard TO the blind methods of
tariff legislation, these arc set forth
with the addition Of "macbine"
driving, clearly and truthfuIly by
Representative James w. Good Of
Iowa. who, in recent speech in the
House, stated the case with the exact.
ness of word photograph as the con
dition presents itself today, as follows:
Mr.. Speaker, l apprehend that before
the adjournment OF the 63rd Congress
gentlemen on that side of the House
VIII have ample opportunity to apola-
4
| standing committees OF the House.
| Vicious as Is the plan OF allowing the
| Speaker OF the House TO appoint com
! mittees. the plan Of allowing the Com
mlttee on Ways and Means to appoin.
these committees Is st!ll more vicious
| Look at the situation as Il presents it>ei.
| today. The committees OF this HGuS-
| are not appointed and they will not be
| until the tariff bin has been passed Tho
Committee on WAYS and Means, or the
majority members thereof. viii not per
| mlt the appointment OF committees nm
| I'll the members on that side OF the House
| have bowed down TO their masters. the
| members OF the Committee on Ways and
| Means. and voted for their tariff bill
| The Democratic party i now considering
| not In an open caucus, but in secret eau
| Gus, under the bve-minute rule-thc sec
ond house il YOU please-tbe Democratic
| tariff bill. The Democratic members OF
! the House know all too well that IL they
would secure the committee appoint
mcnts which they seek they must vote
! for the tariff bill introduced by the gen
tleman from Alabama CMr. Underwood
| They must vote for the programme laid
down by the Democratic members OF the