The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-08-27
No Friends Of Commission.

u With remai skable facility, Demo
cratic leaders change front on I'M
nortant governmental questions anu
endeayor to delude the American
ueople into the notion that they nave
always been advocates OF the ooc-
trines to the support OF Wnlcn Iney
nave been driven by public opinion;
Sprenaradness is one instance and
creation Of a tariff commission is an
other.
After refusing to make, adequate
approximations for the nauonal De
Tense and after declaring that the
military branch of the government
mad not been neglected. the admin
ifstration suddenly reverses It's attl-
itude and proclaims its INTENTION 70
make Preparedness an issue. II tnsy
are seeking for some one 70 quafiea
with on that question, they must
louarrel with their own past record.
| Now they announce an intention 10
make the creation. of tariff com
t1nfssion an issue. They forgot tnat
! their own party has been the only
kannonent of a tariff ommission and
lffat such a commission would now
The in existence but for their negative
votes.
4 The Democratic party, with control
sof both houses of Congress ana tne
presidency, PdSSeu d loA ~ =
1918. It had every opportunity 70
Mace in that act provision for q
aariff commission of any form or KIND
In might choose. The Democratlc
lConeress not only failed to 1ncor-
fporate in that law any provision for
q tariff comm tssion but when on
September s, 1913, Senator Works.
of California. Republican. otered an az.
amendment providing for tarln
M ont de-
9eated every vote for it being cast oy
4, Republican ard every vote aga1flat
AT cast by a Dediocrat. Later IN the
same day Senator Poindexters OF
washington, Progressive Republican.
-offered q different amendment Tor
the CREATION of tariff commission
but ftealso was defeated. The roll
call shows that every vote for the
amendment was cast by Republican
and every vote against it was cast
by Democrat
Not one of the Democratic sena-
tors offered a word of objection to
the form or Ian uage of the amend
ment. The opposition was to taritf
icomnission in any form. Senator
John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi.
voiced what was apparently the
opinion OF the mocrats of the
Senate when he said:
s.Mr. President, wish to express
briefly my opposition to a tarin com
mission. I think. in short meter, 1t
IL simply protection reduced to a
science. Therefore, do not see now
Democrats can support 1T.
3 The unsatisfactory consequences
of. their tariff legislation may have
.convinced them that sctentif1c pro-
faetion would help restore the broken
sor ruined industries of this country.
but their belated Acknowledgement
of their past ignorance Will not IN
Espire confidence in their future &C
Hons. "A tariff commission created
Inv them would be formed for the
purpose of defeating rather than
iesta bIfshing protection to American
labor and capital.
The Democratic party, both in Its
platform and. it's performances, is
against either protection or tariff
fccmmisston, The Republican party
has always stood for protection and
IN the tariff act OF 1909 MADE an M NJ.
Itial step in the direction OF a tarIH
Iconmfssion by creating tariff board
which the Demo cratic party discon-
;tinued.
sion as a board of intelligent ascer-
ttainment, but not clothed with such
powers as may hamper, retard and
i destroy general business in this coun-
Fry. The members Of such commits
sion should not be subservient to
the president or any other one man.
The commission should not have
powers which could be used to favor
4 one section OF the country or to re-
ward friends or punish enemies. The
powers of the board should be de-
6nitely prescribed and it should sub
init it's reports to Congress and
4 through, Congress to the people of the
country.