The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-01-29
the SPREAD OF THE TARIFF
COMMISSION IDEA.

"A momentum which ius,lfics the hope
that congress will be forced 20 bow
before II at "a. Comparatively early
date. Indeed. congress itself has al
ready become infected with the germ
OF the idea. and there arc signs that
the germ is taking firm root Ii, Demo.
ratio no less than In Republican
breasts. as witness the powerful ad-
dress In advocacy of the plan which
was recently delivered by Senator
Thomas r.. OF Oklahoma. In
other words. there ~ u growing pros
pee, that the tariff commission plan
will be divorced from party politics
and made. as II should be made. q
non-partisan measure.
That the American busincys world
il Overwhelmingly In favor of taking
the tariff out of politics through the
creation OF a permanent tarin com
mission no longer admits OF doubt.
IUul punt WuN utAttltt'H ptttttu ~
the Chamber Of Commerce OF tho
United states when u canvas OF it's
membership OF 3i3 commercial or
CARNATIONS showed them to be almost
unanimously In favor of the commits
.ion idea. Congress. therefore. can
proceed TO embody the idea In a con
crete measure with every assurance
that 1t has powerful public support
| a degree of support. indeed. that has
been accorded to perhaps hot a half
dozen measures in the past twenty.
1--WE or thirty years.
Those who oppose n tariff commits.
sion would abatc the ardor II their
! opposition IL thoy would only open
their minds to this incontrovertiblt
fact, viz, that old methods of tarin
making will never succeed In giving
the country a tariff that viii prove
permanently acceptable. We have
had protective tariffs under which the
country has prospercd amazingly. but
how long have such tariffs remained
| upon our statute books No fewer
than five tariff r~evisions since 1890 IL
] the answer. " !. not time. therefore,
for protectionists and free trader,
alike to acknowledge the utter futii-
ity of tariff construction as IL has
been conducted heretofore? Is II moi
evident that by persistence In then
opposition To the adoption of the only
/ satisfactory solution OF the problem
that has yet been devised they ar,
both standing squarely In tine path.
of the country's progress?
As senator Gore has well pointed
out. ~everyone's attitude on the prob.
lem will depend upon his answers "a
these questions; First. should fact.
have any influence in determining
rates of duties? Secondly. ID a tariff
| commission or a congressional com
mittec the better equipped L. asocr-
tain the facts There can be but one
answer to the first question and that
IL In the affirmative. As for the sec.
! ond question, let light on that poin,
be shed by senator GORE. who. as q
member Of the finance committee
whicht helped to frame the present
low tnriN law, viii be admitted a.
speak with authority. He SAYS:
The commission would be consti-
tuted more largely OF experts and
trained economists. II would be lee,
liza BILE to change with the violent vi.
clssitudes of party politics. II would
be less affected by the bias and pre-.
JUDGE al partisan controversy. I,
would be virtually in continuous sees.
sion. II could study and record chang
ms conditions while they are chang
ms. II could accumulate ana systc'
matte a vast mass Of data, II could
make continuous observations over d
long period of tendencies and rcla'
tions between varying rates and then
effects. IL could render u number ol
services and perform a number ot
functions q which a congressional
committee Is not adapted. II is n,
disparagement 90 say that a commits
sion Is better suited than a cninmitte,
for the conduct of such Investigations
the collection of details. aud the col
lation OF facts for the analysis ans
enlightenment Of such committee.
The most elaborate and colossa
works Of pure fiction ever produced
IA America nave been the tsrin hear,
ings before the finance committee ol
the senate and tho ways ana meant
committee of the house. As works 81
Iiahcy they M. unrivailed by she Rap,
'V"i the Lock As works ~ the imae'
ination they are vnapproached 10y