The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-01-28
TARIFF BOARD
A CERT AINTY
Law Creating II VIII Be Enacted
al This Session.
KITCEIN CONFERS WITH WILSON

of the vernment-EstabIishm
of New Industries and Expansion of
Those In Existence Also Possible.
Washington, Jan. 26. - President
Wilson has requested Majority Leader
Kitchen to take up with the ways and
means committee Immediately the
matter of formulating law creating
tariff board.
In long conference with Mr..
Kitcnin the president set forth at
length his views as to why the crea-
tion of tariff board is advisable as
means of enabling the United States
to cope with the new industrial condi-
tions to be created by the war.
Mr.. Kitchin offered no objection to
the new step advocated by the admin
istration and after his conference
with the president he expressed the
belief that the ways and means COM
mittee would report a tariff commits
sion bill In four or five weeks. This
practically insures the enactment OF
legislation establishing board at the
present session of congress.
It was learned that the president
lad expressed the belief that tariff
board can play a highly important
rart in promoting the future econ
cmic prosperity of the country by pro-
viding the government with the neces-
sary data to guide it in dealing with
the industrial problems in the years
ahead. The president emphasized the
necessity that the activities of the
board be conducted without partisan
ship. He expressed the conviction
that 1t should not serve any particu-
lar fiscal theory or policy and espe-
cially not any political theory or pol
icy regarding the tariff.
Could Secure Facts.
The president believes that the pro-
rosed board could and should secure
facts useful to the administrative Of
fees of the government and to con-
gress 1t should be- the duty of the
board he believes, to throw light from
every possible angle upon the tariff
relations between the United States
and foreign countries, the rates OF du-
ties imposed upon American products
in those countries with the extent and
| effect Of discrimination duties, COM
mercial treaties and preferential pro-
visions, the effects of export bounties
and preferential transportation rates
and OF any special or discriminatory
duties that may be made by the Unit
ed States The board would be en-
J trusted with the power OF investigat-
| ing the industrial effects of proposed
| and existing duties on products from
abroad competing with the products
of American industries. 1t would in
quire into the conditions Of competi.
tion surrounding the production OF
all commodities sold in the United
States and abroad It would gauge
the volume OF importatlons compared
With the domestic production and es-
innate the effect OF tariff changes
upon these two elements of com
merce. II would investigate the cost
OF production here and abroad.
An important matter which the
board would be called on to look into
without delay would he the possibility
of establishing new industries In the
United States and expanding indus
tries already in existence by which
the president is pleased to refer al
scientific and practical methods.
In the performance of these duties
the president believes that the boart
should be recommended to cooperate
with and avail itself OF the informa
tion gathered by related departmental
End extra departmental agencies o.
the government, to make use o. al
available sources of official informa
ton, In partisular the reports from
consular agents of the government,