Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-15

'lphia Public Ledger.)
/, factorily to have proved their unwis-
dom. Still, as a matter Of fact, it has
not so proved that unwisdom to the
satisfaction of President Wilson nor to
the satisfaction of the great masses of
the party dominated by him. Accord
ingly we have seen the destruction by
him and them of the nonpartisan tariff
commission. This commissions duty
was to pour clear impartial light on
the protective tariff schedules. for
their honest revision, but still as pro-
tective schedules. 1t did so. It's work
was disregarded, its information ignor-
ed. and for it was substituted a tariff
honest only SO far as it is frank and
deliberate step toward the free trade
doctrine now pretty generally exploded
and abandoned all over the world.
To this tariff President Wilson now
proposes to add as a second logical
step the purchase by our government
of German steamers at the expense of
the taxpayers, to be run by the govern
ment in competition with privately
owned steamship lines
1t is idle to expect from the demo-
cratic party, then as judged from it's
acts, any tariff based on the protective
theory, still less protective
tariff based on the impartial investiga-
ton of experts. The establishment of
such body of experts can come from
the republican party alone, and should
come from it, not merely as a policy Of
loyalty, but as a policy Of political
eXpediency and best of all as a policy
of honesty, equity and common sense.
In February, 1909, at Indianapolis
a meeting was called in the interest
of the establishment of such COM
mission. At that convention there
were represented forty-two states and
223 commercial, industrial and agricul-
tural organizations. There were men
high in political life east and west
among the delegates, but it was prim-
arily and in essence gathering of
the business men of the country.
There was no question of the opinion
of these business experts drawn from
all parties as to the proper handling
of a business question of the United
States government in business fash
ion.
They adopted unanimously resolu-
tons for tariff commission "for the
following purposes and ends through
congressional action, viz: 2
Il. The collecting of data and in
telligent thorough and unprejudiced
study of tariff facts.
"2. The preservation and promotion
of our home market and the develop
ment and enlargement of our foreign
trade.
"3. The accomplishment of this by
reciprocal trade agreements, based on
maximum and minimum schedules.
"a. The adjustment of the tariff
schedules so that they shall affect all
interests equitably.
IS. The fixing of the rates of duty
to be paid on the imports from any
foreign country, within the limits of
the maximum and minimum rates
established by congress, under recipro-
cal trade agreements negotiated by or
under the direction of the president, in
order thereby to develop and protect
our foreign trade by the means favor
ed by President Mckinley and author
lied by sections and of the Dingley
law"
In spite of reactionary republicans
and revolutionary democrats who
wished no information brought out by
the government and shown to the peo-
pie, the tariff, as passed in 1909, did
contain provision for commission,
but with limited powers and merely
for the assistance of the president.
This committee did, however, much
admirable work in the way of the sys-
tematic collection and collation. of in
formation 1t was, however, prompt
ly wiped out of existence by the demo-
cratic party. and except for it's filed
reports, demonstrating the vast posi-
bilities of usefulness of larger COM
mission of greater powers, we are
where we were in 1909 and must start
again from the beginning
Editors Not-This is the first of
three articles by Mr.. Guild on this
subject. The second article will ap-
pear on this page in a few days.l