The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-02-23
AT Odds Over Tariff Commission.

According to reports accepted in Washington
as authentic Democrats in Congress insisting
that the Senate and House shall each be permit
ted to choose-two members of the proposed tariff
commission, the chairman only to be selected by
the President; while President Wilson is said to
be equally insistent that he be authorized to
name the entire membership. At this point it can
not even be conjectured whose will is to prevail,
nor can it be said with assurance that there will
be either Congressional or Presidential COM
mission, for in neither House is there an over
abundance of enthusiasm on the subject of the
commission. Only one thing does appear certain
and that is that the Presidents expressed am
btion to take the tariff out of politics is very far
from realization. Even if the President should
get all he asks from Congress nonpartisan COM
mission would still be far from a reality for he
admitted to the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States that he knows only man in the
whole country who is not partisan on the subject
of the tariff, and everybody has been wondering
ever since who he is and where four others could
possibly be found.
The present plan of the party leaders is said to
contemplate the selection of two members of the
commission by the Senate and two by the House,
jority and minority, acting independently IN
either House, each selecting one. That method
would, of course, insure strictly political COM
mission the Presidents choice OF a chairman de-
termining its complexion.
Possibly the prospect of nonpartisan COM
mission would be somewhat improved by permit
ting the President to appoint all the members, but
the tariff will not be taken out of politics until it
is rendered useless as political issue. 1t may be
that the European war will accomplish that, or
come nearer to it than anything that has hap
pened in this generation. Certainly it has DEM
onstrated the need of a deep and comprehensive
investigation into the tariff situation which
it has created, and for that reason if the existing
machinery of the government is inadequate for the
purpose the present session of Congress should
provide for the most patriotic and least partisan
commission that be obtained. Almost newt
ably it will have revenue tariff leanings, to say
the least; but when it has finished its work 1t will
yet rest with the party in control OF Congress to
dictate whatever new tariff legislation it may
deem necessary and advisable. 1t would be q
feeble, worthless commission indeed that would
fail to find in the greatly changed conditions much
information that would be valuable to any Con
gress, no matter what its political complexion
called upon to enact new tariff on the basis o.
Europe at peace; provided of course its labor:
were completed in time And that Congress, thu
country has right to expect, will be guided
more by patriotism than by politics.
/ For these reasons it is to be hoped that thu
President and the party leaders in Congress viii
be able to adjust their differences that com
mission of broad-minded men, capable of placing
the nations commercial and industrial welfare OF
their DartiSan shin
may speedily begin their important task.