Evening journal., 1917-12-08
sMoKE-scREENING THE TARIFF.

tA SNIOKE-SCREEN maneuyer" is the way a well
"A known customs attorney OF New York city
eharacerizes the plan OF the Democratic board to
overhaul the administrative section Of the present tariff
law.
III the. tariff commission wishes to perform sub
stantia service for the country should draft amend
ments to paragraphs to 657 and leave the admnista
tive section declares the port lawyer what
want TO do is to consolidate" for the postwar drive
on the home market Tlnkerng with the admnlstra-
tive section will make matters instead Of better
If that all the tariff commission can and to do had
best close up shop discharge It's superabundsnce Of
clerks who make the building look like female semi
nary and take vacation under general order
vices no longer required
u know whereof speak because have had TO deal
with the administrative features OF three tariff laws
and in New York. and at other ports whose business
1t is to look after the interests Of clients In tariff
matters exceedingly well satisfied with Section III
Of The present law the administrative section
"rhe section with which our somewhat amateurlsh
tariff commission proposes TO experiment Is based
the advice Of customs officials brokers, attorneys and
the courts, after years Of experience In dealing with
customs II brought TO its highest perfection
in the tariff act Of 1902 known the Payne-Aldrlch
law At the time that bill being framed Mr. Payne
caused a most thorough examination 10 be made Of
classlcaons and language and exhaustive analysis
made Of all the decisions Of the courts and of the
general appraisers for the fifteen years preceding
Provisions then embodied In the sectlop-eonform
ing the language Of the various paragraphs TO meet the
decisions OF the courts and to language Of
act clear, that the cous would have no dculty in
interpreting the meaning OF Congress As a matter Of
fact the language In the administrative section Of the
1909 act simple that litigation was reduced TO
a minimum and the work Of the customs officials was
expedited to remarkable degree. Republicans and
Democrats alike worked together and the
Of their legal talents to perfect the administrative
ton OF the law.
1.-THE Democratic tariff law Of 1918 still in force
adopted the administrative section Of the law super
seded with little, II any, modification. Sucl minor
changes made were concurred In, as a ,e by
the opposition When It's author. Mr. UnderNNouL was
reminded by the late Mr. Payne that there ought
to be any division on political lines about the admnls-
tratye features Of any tariff law, he replied think
the gentleman from New York exactly rght-that the
administrative features Of the tariff bill should not be
political that they should be framed to enforce
ever rights arc put on the statute books"
He adds that II the OF opinion that the
administrative section OF the Wilson Underwood law
was as nearly perfect legislation could IT, what
ever differences Of opinion there might have boen on
the question Of protection free trade.
We who operate under the section are well satisfied
with 10. Certainly do not wish to see commission
Of tariff tyros monkeying with in order to give the
public the impression that they awfully busy and
we hope Congress viii put end TO their trning"