The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1917-05-19
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or distribution of any article under
investigation the power to summon
witnesses, take testimony, require the
production of books and papers relat-
Ing to any matter under consideration,
the power to take testimony by depo-
sition, etc. The commission Is given
fun power to enforce these investiga-
tory powers in the same manner as
other departments of the government.
II was contemplated in the act Great
ing the commission, and it Is the earn
est desire of the commission. that II
act in conjunction and cooperation with
the treasury department, the depart
ment of commerce, the Federal Trade
Commission, and other departments
and organzat tions of the government,
and that the latter shall cooperate full
ly with the commission for the pur-
poses of aiding and assisting in it's
work. Provision is made for the fur
nishing to the commission by any de-
partment, on it's request, all records.
papers, and information in their pos
session relating to any of the subjects
of Investigation by the commi ssion,
and for the detailing of officials and
experts from other departments to the
commission when necessary in the
course of an investigation.
A provision in the act that is liable
to be Of Importance Is the one en-
powering the commission to investi-
gate the famous Paris Economy Pact
and similar organizations and arrange
ments in Europe. The Paris Economy
Pact, as you know, is the formal agree
ment entered into by the allies on June
IL, 1916, contemplating measures not
only for the war but measures affecting
commercial relations in the transitory
and permanent periods following the
war.
From the foregoing it may seem that
the powers of this new commission are
somewhat limited. 1t has no power
to fix tariff rates. That prerogative is
not likely ever to be taken out of the
hands of legislators. Neither has 1t
the power to recommend rates In
surmountable political and economic
difficulties arise when it comes to con-
ferring upon q commission of this kind
pos ers that have been delegated to
and jealously guarded for so long by
the representatives Of the people.
Tariff making Is fundamentally ques-
ton of theory rather than question
of statistics, and as long as this funda-
mental difference of opinion as to the
principle and theory upon which tariff
rates should be based exists no COM
mission can undertake this work.
So the powers of the commission are
confined to the investigation of tariff
commercial and Industrial subjects
and to the reporting Of it's findings to
congress. Its powers of investigation
are very extensive, as / have shown
Its primary duty is to collect scien-
tifical1y tariff information, to the end
that, when revision of the tariff is
emminent or necessary. congress may
he supplied with absolutely accurate
figures and statistics and unprejudiced
information. One of the chief objects
of establishing the commission was to
furnish to congress a permanent gov
ernment organization which would at
all times be a continuous source of in
formation upon every item and sched-
ule in the tariff-a source where indi-
vidually members Of congress could
come for information upon any tariff
item in which they We're interested or
upon which congress could officially
draw. for scientifically compiled and
arranged information upon the tariff
subject which they might have under
consideration. A great service can,
and I believe WILL be rendered the
country along this line by the new
commission.
1t Is not contended that the commits
sion will. nor is it intended that It
shall attempt to take the tariff out
of politics. That is a proposition which
only time and experience will deter
mine, but it can assist congress in
raising tariff making to a higher level
and, by throwing a flood of light upon
the whole tariff question, lay founda-
tion upon which may be erected a
broad statesmanlike, national tariff
policy. 1t cannot take the tariff out
of politics. but 1t may be able to take
some of the meaner phases of politics
out of the tariff.