The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1916-02-17
LARoR.s oppoRruNrrY
,(By Luke Grant in California Union
: Labor Journal)

Af0oOA , NAANrAJ
Organized labor has an opportunity
Of doing something OF real value for
its members. Prompt and intelligent
action on the part of labor unions
will result in the creation by. con-
gress of a permanent tariff commits
sion. which will take the tariff out of
politics, give greater stability to
business and steadier employment to
wage earnerss.
The creation of tariff commission
will not bring about the millennium
No such claim is made for it, but it
cannot be disputed that the substi-
tuition of scientific methods of adjst-
ing tariff schedules for the present
political wire-pulling methods, will
be long forward step.
Why should labor be interested III
this subject? There are several rca
sons why it should. The tariff qucs-
ton affects seriously the wage-carncr
in many ways. 1t is true that in the
past he has received scant consider
alton when tariff enactments were
passed But he has held the bag"
just the same. He has been the
goat" while politicians tinkered with
the tariff and brought the business
Of the country to a standstill through
fault of his 49,, N;iIs and fac
cries have closed down and the wage
Garner has been denied an opportu-
nifty to earn livelihood for himself
aid his dependents.
No one will attempt to deny that
the tariff as political issue has been
business disturber. The history Of
the last forty years proves that be-
yond the shadow of a doubt. Bust
ness disturbance always results in de-
creased earnings for wage workers.
But that is not the only reason why
the worker would benefit by having
the tariff taken out of politics. With
tariff commission to deal with the
tariff question, congress would have
more time to attend to Legislative
matters in which the workers have
direct interest
The tariff is big problem. 1t af-
fects vitality the interests of the entire
nation. 1t is too big a problem &c
be handled by body of nearly si>
hundred legislators, who have many
other duties to perform. 1t is utter
ly impossible for busy men to fully
inform themselves on a subject as in
tricate and complex as the making
of tariff schedules. The work should
be delegated to a body of experts
who would give their entire time and
thought to the subject Congress
should be relieved of the duty of pre-
pairing tariff schedules, so that il
might devote its time to the enact
ment of legislation demanded by the
country.
The American Federation of Labor
kept up a constant agitation for TWEEN
ty-one years before congress enacted
the amendment to the Sherman anti
trust law. Twenty-one years of agi-
tation to have the law-making body
declare that the labor of a human
being is not an article of commerce
1t required thenty-three years OF per
sistent agitation to have enacted a
law giving American seamen the
rights and liberties enjoyed by other
classes of citizens. The safety appli-
ance and workman's compensation
laws were not placed on the statute
books until after years OF agitation
The Kern-McGillicuddy bill, intend
ed to give employees Of the govern
ment more just compensation IN case
of accident. failed to pass at the last
session because of the lack Of time
How many labor bills have been side
tracked while congress wrangled over
tariff schedules?
If the tariff is taken out OF politics
the work of preparing schedules
is placed in the hands OF permanent
scientific commission, it will mean
that congress will have more time to
enact legislation that is demanded by
labor That in itself should be sui
fcient incentive to labor to get be-
hind the movement for a tariff com
mission.
There is another reason why labor
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