The Alaska daily empire., 1916-03-11
NEW BILL WILL TAKE TILE TARIFF
 FROM POLITICS

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 Because a tariff commission bill re- gently introduced in the House by Representative Frank F. Doremus of Michigan. chairman of the Democrat ! ic national Congressional committee, is supposed to represent the views of tho administration, 1t is attracting great deal Of attention among pub lic men. Doremus does not say that | his is the administration bin, but it is known that he has he'd several com ferencos at the White House on that subject. and that he made the final draft of his bIl after spending half an hour with the President the day before it was introduced.
 The feature of the Doremus bill is that it. really attempts to take the tar liff out of politics. Doremus has had conference with Representative Rainey of Illinois, who is ways and means committeeman in charge of the tariff commission question. Rainey has introduced commission bill that frankly does not attempt to take the tariff out of politics. but he says that he will stand for that feature of the Doremus bill if 1t appears possible to pass 1t.
 Doremus says he has tried in his bill to establish a tariff commission as nearly nonpartisan as possible, for the investigation of facts. In the same measure he would clothe the Federal Trade Commission with power to fix rates within certain constitutional limitations to be laid down by Con- gress. It Is his opinion that every business man in the country will stand by his bill the moment he knows about it's contents.
 Representative Doremus has given out the following statement concern ing the proposed tariff commission:
 "The Federal Trade Commission al- ready has powers qualifying 1t to handle some phases Of a raid from Europe. Therefore believe it to be the body which should handle all the phases. If the tariff is to be one of the weapons. then. under proper safe guards and limitations, this weapon also should be placed in the hands of that commission.
 Again. have in mind the deadly blight which O general revision of the tariff casts upon all our activities For six months of a year everything stands still Washington swarms with business men who come here to try to influence the tax rate for one req son or another. Their anxiety in many cases is extreme What I am seeking now is a general governor or equalizer by means of which we shall be protected against violent extremes of taxation.
 What Happens Now
 "As lt is now. with the tariff an ever-present issue between the par ties. no sooner does a party return to power after being out than 1t sum mons Congress in extra session for the purpose of overhauling the tar ifi from top to bottom. And from lthe moment the control of the govern ment changes untl the revision of the 'arin is complete. business is stag nant. That I regard as the greatest evil connected with the tariff issue.
 My plan is to have Congress do no more than to lay down the general Limitations within which the tax shall be fixed. Let 1t frame the general rule that Is to govern. Then let the Federal Trade Commission. using the facts brought to 1t by the tariff com mission. place the rates at the point where they will do the people of the United States the most good and best care for the revenues Of the govern ment.
 "A sudden onslaught from foreign source. intended to wipe out an Ameri- can industry. then would have to meet the intelligent intention Of the Feder- al Trade Commission armed with all the weapons, including @ flexible tax rate. If. by reason of @ British Ger