Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-13
Democrats Want Power to Suppress
Facts.


Facts.
With the converting Of Congress
came a resumption of activities on the
part Of advocates Of a mon partisan
tariff commission. The purpose OF
this commission as expressed by its
sponsors, is to take the tariff out OF
politics. This leads to the conclusion
that a group Of men have been dis
covered who have no political convsc-
tons on the subject Of the tariff and
who Will therefore be available for
service on a non bipartisan commission.
Their recommendations, if called for
will not be tinctured with belief in
high tariff, low tariff, tariff for rev.
enue, tariff for protection, or free
trade. because if they were, the COM
mission would not be non partisan.
AS the power to legislate on the tar
iff can not constitutionally be delegat-
ed to this hermaphroditic body, the
legislation must originate in the House
OF Representatives. using the nom
partisan report of this non partisan
commission as a basis. II that does
not put the tariff back into politics
again, what does?
When the tariff board, provided for
in the Republican tariff law of 1909,
was in existence, it reported, among
other subjects, on wool and manufac-
lures of wool. This board kept strict
ly within its province as a scientific,
data collecting and statistics prepar-
ing bureau. The board consisted Of
three Republicans and two Demo-
Gratis, selected by President Taft on
over the country. One member of the
board was editor of wool trade mag
two were university professors Of
economics, and one was a Democratic
port was signed by all five members Of
the board and submitted, to a Demo-
cratic House of Representatives, with
out recommendations. Three wool
schedules were framed based on the
report, the Underwood schedule, Dem
ocratic. the Payne schedule, Repnbli-
can, and the La Toilette schedule,
Progressive. The champions Of each
schedule declared that the rates in
their particular bill were absolutely
justified by the findings of the board.
and the tariff was in jolitics again.
When the Federal Trade Commits
sion was organized President Wilson
declared that he had put one over"
on Congress, and that the functions of
a tariff commission were placed in the
hands Of that commission. In report
on muslin underwear recently made
public, Secretary Redfield called atten-
ton to the fact that this was in the
form Of a report such as may be ex-
pccted from a tariff commission, and
while not directly calling attention to
the fact. it was intimated that Con-
sress should provide the bureau with
more funds so that it could fulfill the
position of a tariff commission. A re-
port on the cost of manufacture of
beet sugar. made by the Federal Trade
Commission. at Mr.. Redfield's insti-
CATION. Is said to have been filed with
the Secretary Of Commerce last July.
Evidently these cost figures are of a
nature embarrassing to the admins
tration. for the report has been pig
eon-holed, which shows the danger of
giving the supervision Of such work to
a man Of such decided opinions as Mr..
Redfleld.
The tariff board organized under the
Republican administration came as
near to filling the bill as anything ever
will in a country possessing two radi-
cally opposed views on the tariff ques-
ton such as exist in the United States.
But Democratic Congress stified that
board by refusing to appropriate for
its maintenance. A tariff commission
organized for the scientific collection
and preparation Of tariff data. to be
submitted to Congress without recon-
mendation. would fill long felt want
but cave-dwelling Democracy, which
fears the searchlight of investigation
on the tariff questions. is now trying
to beg the question. and lodge the
power OF such a commission in the
hands Of an administrative depart
ment. where any light embarrassing
to the party in power may promptly
be doused.