The Green Forest tribune., 1916-04-21
.FOR TARIFF BOARD
WAYS AND MEANS COMM IT EE GIVES SANCTION TO THE
 RAINEY BILL.
PLAN TO ELIMINATE POLITICS
Intention of Measure Is to Keep the Tariff Out of Party Strife-StudIes of Commission Intended to Be of Profit to Congress.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

WaShlngtOn.-A tdrlH COAluiooioii bill, having the sanction of the ma tority of the ways and means commit tee, has been introduced into congress and it is a safe prediction that 1t Will be passed because 1t is known vir- tually definitely that majority Of the members of both houses will support it. The bill was drawn by Represent ative Rainey of Illinois.
 President Wilson recently announced that he was in favor of the passage by the present congress of bill ere ating a tariff commission. The meas ure in it's present form provides for commission of six members with sal aries of $10,000 a year each and It IS especially provided that not more than three members shall belong to the same political party.
 In a statement made by the framer of the bill, and authorized by the ma jority of the ways and means commit tee, the following appears:
 This would mean three Democrats and three Republicans. From the po- litical standpoint, the membership Of the committee would be equally bal anced between the parties which favor different methods of imposing tariffs. The bill requires the chairman and the vice-chairman to be selected bien- nially. This makes it impossible to install in these important offices for long term members who happen to belong to the political party in power when the appointment is made. In the first instance members are ap- pointed for two. four, six. eight, ten and twelve years respectively. AS their terms expire, however, their sue cessors are appointed for twelve years"
 Keep Tariff Out of Politics.
 It is urged by some members of congress that this specific division of the commission into membership of Republicans and Democrats as out lined by the framer of the bill perhaps may not be possible as things devel op. It is said that inasmuch as the measure provides simply that not more than three members of the con- mission shall belong to any one party it. will be possible to appoint three esqessat ts ar threa B then for instance to appoint Prog1As- sive a Prohibitionist, a Socialist. It is the intention of the measure, | however, to keep the tariff out of poli- tics and if the president shall exercise judgment in the appointment of mem bers it can be made commission non- political in it's nature no matter what parties are represented.
 SIver since the tariff commission plan first was suggested the idea has been to secure membership wcich would consider the tariff as business proposition and not as political one. It Is expected that business men and students of economics will be ap- pointed to the commission. An ideal commission, as members of all parties view it, would be one which would study business conditions throughout the country, would determine actually which industries need protection and which do not, and then would act ac- cordingly. It must not be supposed for a moment, however, that this bill or any other bill which has been framed in the past has for it's object the appointment of a commission which shall concern itself diEectly with tariff legislation.
 If this measure passes congress, as 1t is presumed that it will, the com mission will be empowered to act only in an advisory capacity to congress. It will make studies of conditions here, there and everywhere, and then will lay it's reports before the president and the congress of the United States. There is nothing in the proposed law, and there can be nothing in it, which will in any way take away from con- gress the right to legislate as it chooses in tariff matters.
 Aero Corps to Help Coast Guard.
 Congress may act to provide aero planes as aids to the life-saving and the revenue cutter services of the United States, two services which re- gently have been merged into one un- der the name of the coast guard.
 Department officials are now en- gagged in perfecting bill which will be introduced into congress for the crea tion of coast guard aerial corps. By. ron R. Newton, assistant secretary of the treasury, who has jurisdiction over the coast guards, says on this matter:
 q Slvor any legislation which will | provide for the development of the coast guard to a higher degree of eff ciency The evolution of the services and the natural expansion of it's use | fitness in saving life and property a
 sea demand application of the art O
 flying to search for derelicts and fol carrying aid to ships and men in dis l tress at sea.
 It was only recently that the life
 saving corps of the United States which is composed of men who patro
 the beaches and the rocky headland
 and who go to sea in small boats a
 the risk of their own lives to rescu
 those in danger, was put upon foot
 ing similar to that occupied by tn
 revenue cutter service and in meas