Evening journal., 1915-10-22
SHALL TARIFF COMMISSION HAVE LEGIsLA-
TIVE POWERl

TIVE fONEhl
TN an open letter to Secretary Redheld, George w.
Perkins gives expression 10 a proposition which
for some time past has been, present is being.
considerably agitated by number of business Of
this country II is for permanent, expert, non-par-
tisan tariff commission" Some advocates are content
to stop at this point Mr. Perkins goes farther
serts that this should be "a commission that will give
us a tariff that not necessarily high low po-
litica but one based the actual
needs Of and every industry that by the
tan" If his language is correctly interpreted this
means that to such a commission should be delegated
the authority to egslae the tariff. thus endeayor-
ing TO take that overtowering question Of fiscal and
commercial policy which since the foundation of this
government has served to distinguish party affiliations
out OF politics.
Dismssing the plan OF a "non-partisan' commission
as visionary SO long there two schools of
thought the tariff question: and rejecting the Per-
kns idea of a commission specifically authorized to
leglslate because II is beyond the power OF Congress
to delegate legislation. the third possibility presents
itsef-hat OF commission whose scope OF authority
in relation to our domestic manufacture and foreign
commerce. would be something akin to that of the In
terstae Commerce Commission in relation to railroads
TO the Federal Reserve in relation io hanks, and
to the Federal Trade Commission in relation to corpora
tions-that H. quasi judicial authority coupled with
certain administrative functions.
Although the orders Of these commissions are sub
iect the review OF the courts, as the hndln8s OF
tariff commission would be subject to the action OF Con-
fress there tendency the part Of the rst-named
OF these bodies Cand the other two give every evidence
of adopting similar course far to interpret ana
modify Congressional enactment as TO constitute leeis-
latve usurpaon so that Congress today, as regards
the Interstate Commerce Commission bids fair to be
reegated TO a position Of secondary Importance At
the present time the Internal affairs OF the country are
under the espionage and direction Of the nineteen men
sitting on the aboye-named commissions and possibly
of eleven. the majority OF those commissions If this
lust for power continues unchecked these commits
sons viii 20 ON seeking and receiving additional iuris
dicton untr the result will Congressional abdca-
ton The direct accountability of Congressman to
their constituencies will be avoided by the sde-step-
ping scheme Of turning affairs over to commissions
and the government orithe Chief Executive, viii do by
rule and regulation that which would be abhorrent to
the sense Of decency the people OF the United states
If read in Congress in the form OF a bill
DO the majority Of our business men wish to submit
their affairs TO the authority Of such yrant es this
tariff commission having in It's keeping the greatest
business issue Of America might from rational view
point become? DO the majority of the American peo-
pie want a commits sion form OF government? fMost
certainly not whenever the Congress Of the United
states proves faithless whenever the government as
conceived by the fathers proves inadequate to the pur
poses they intend 20 accomplish then let us call for
receiver to appoint a commission. do what We can
10 change the system into one efficient
A commission or board, created for the purpose OF
intelligent ascertainment Of tariff facts, acting in an
nfoimatory capacity TO Congress- the method VI their
selection properly arranged for in its organic egsla-
ton and its responsibility made direct to Congress and
not to an Executive or Department'-wel and good