The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-01-17
SURPRISE IN LAWS
@AGEL DISCOVERS A TARIFF
BOARD HAS EXISTED SINCE
THE YEAR 1888.
MAS FIRST BUREAU or LABOR
xes Duties and Powers Of Investigating
prcductlon and Prices Here and
Abroad Nov Belong to Bureau Of
Commences.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

scicsare has come through careful
reading OF the laws or the land by
Charles Nagel. secretary OF com
maree and labor Il has iust been
hroueist publicly to notice that since
the year 1888 the government has
hsd the power through one or It's de-
partnients 70 do all the Investigating
naceasary 20 get proper business un.
terstanding OF tgriff matters for the
sisss of congress
In other words. with all the trouble
that the administration had 10 get
taFiH board and with all the excite.
ment OF debate attending the attempt.
and With the final killing" OF the
tariff board By congress. there has
oeeu actually in existence a tariff
beard with full powers which never
has been at work and whose very Ok
tktenee presumably WIS unknown to
fhe law makers
WASHINGTON Il Inclined to laugh over
she situation, but II hardly II d laugh
fns nntter For rs years the execu-
give has had at It's command what
anouunia TO tarlif commission. 1t
Aas y YET and the fact Ia now recog.
nsxed. but whether or not congress
will take advantage OF the newly dis
s'ovev~d power OF government Is
question % doubt. for II Ia believed
that Il Is the intention OF the law
makers when the next congress meets
! 20 80 ahead after their own manner
60 make np q new tariff bill
Rureau 81 Labor's Duty.
IN the spring OF 1888 Grover Cleve
1wnd. Who wna then president OF the
United States. gave his approval TO
kaw establishing what was known as
she bmseau OF labor In the act estab
Rishing This bureau was provision
which read like this.
To ascertain at az early date as
fsoaaibie. and whenever industrial
changes shall make II essential, the
cuat 81 producing articles at the time
efattahie IN the United States. IN lead
ing countries where such articles are
produced. hy fully specified units Of
protsseltgn and under a classification
@ho@iug tho different elements on cost
ot approximate cost. OF such articles
OF production. including the wages
sssid in such industries a day. week,
saonth. or year or by the piece. and
sl0uss employed a day and the profits
81 manufacturers and producers OF
auch articles and the comparative
cost u living. and kind OF living;
what articles are controlled by trusts
or other combinations OF capital. bust
ness operations or labor and what
effect said trusts. or other cdmbina.
tioas of capital business operations.
tor tabor have on production and
prices 3
When the department OF commerce
and labor Was established the bureau
q labor was merged into It. but the
provision giving the tariff investigat
Ing power. for that was what 1t
amounted to. remained as a part OF |
the organic law OF the land Its en-.
fcrneMent, or rather it's operation !
eoecame part OF the duty OF the de
partment Of commerce and labor
Now Up TO Commerce Bureau.
AZ the session OF congress last sum
mer the bureau OF manufactures and
the bnreau OF statistics OF the depart
rnent OF commerce and labor we're
consolidated into a bureau to be known |
as the bureau OF foreign and domestic |
commerce The section Of the bill |
Following the provision for the con
solicitation prescrtbes that those du
ties OF the department OF commerce.
and labor or bureau OF labor confirm. I
cd In section OF the act approved
June Is. 1883. that established the |
same. are hereby transferred to and |
shall hereafter be discharged by the
bureau Of foreign and domestic com.
Eneree."
Congress- last summer did away
with the tariff board When il con.
soliaated the two bureaus named
above an intimation was made that
the resulting bureau would be OF sery
ice In collecting tariff data. but there
was no intimation at an that the pow
er TO collect II had been In the dc.
partmeut Of commerce aud labor ali
along
An appropriation VIII be necessary
10 give the department OF commerce
and labor through It's proper bureau.
che means 70 do the work OF tariff ma
terial collecting. which Il has the au
thority Of law 70 do The question IS
now whether the appropriation viii
be forthcoming.
More Discord In Sight
Before this time il has been told
how the Democratic majority does
not intend 10 recognize any third
party as such ia the next house
Of representatives Now ii seems
that another element of posi-.
thls disccrd and resentment Is 10 be
thrown into the house IN connection
With this party division matter when
the extra session meets. II is said
that a number OF Progressive.Re pub.
licsns who must not be confused with
Progressiyes elected as such. and who
represent mex party. are soon 10
e. :