The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1917-05-19

The readers of the Examiner may be
interested in hearing a little more
about the work and purposes of the
newly organized tariff commission than
they can learn from casual newspaper
articles. 1t is very interesting to me
to be on the ground at the organza-
tion of q big commission like this, and
l would be glad if l could be of some
service in conveying some idea of the
scope of the work, duties, powers and
limitations of this much praised and
criticised body.
To begin with the act creating the
commission, approved September s,
1916, it provides that the commission
shall be composed of six members, ap-
pointed by the president by and with
the advice and consent of the senate,
not more than three of whom shall be
members of the same political party.
The first members appointed are to
continue in office for terms of two,
four, six, eight, ten, and twelve years,
respectively, the term of each being
designated by the president, their sue
cessors to- be appointed for terms of
twelve years. The president is to
designate annually the chairman and
vice chairman of the commission. The
salary of the commissioners is fixed at
$1,000 per annum, and with the excep-
tion of the secretary, special experts,
and clerk to each commissioner, all
employees are required to be appointed
from the registers of the civil service
commission in th
other employees of the government.
Professor f. w. Taussig, the famous
writer and economist of Harvard Uni
versity, was designated by the presi-
dent to serve as chairman for the first
year, and Daniel C. Roper, formerly
first assistant postma ster general, was
appointed vice chairman. The other
members of the commission are: David
J. Lewis, former representative from
Maryland; William Kent, former rep
resentatve from California;; William
S. Culbertson, writer, lawyer and econ
omist. formerly special counsel for the
Federal Trade Commission. and Edward
p. Costigan, lawyer. of Denver.
In spite of the anticipated and in
evitable criticism of the personnel of
the commission, it is a recognized fact
that 1t Is an exceptionally strong body,
and my own opinion, take it for what
1t is worth, is that every man on it is
We'll qualified for membership on the
commission, and that they are going
to do a great work and be an import
ant factor in the readjustments that
must take place when our commercial
treaties and relations with other coun-
tries, tariff relations, economic al
liances and problems of taxation, in
dustry and commerce come under con-
sideration at the end of the war.
Other powers and duties conferred
and imposed upon the commission,
briefly stated, are that it shall inves-
tigate the administration and fiscal and
industrial effects of the customs laws
of this country now in force or which
may be hereafter enacted the relations
between the rates of duty on raw ma
terials and finished or partly finished
products. the effects of ad valorem and
specific duties and of compound speci-
fic and ad valorem duties, all questions
relative to the arrangement of sched-
ules and classification of articles in the
several schedules of the customs law,
and, in general, to investigate the oper-
relation to the federal revenues. their
erlation to the federal revenues, their
effect upon the Industries and labor of
the country, and to submit reports of
its investiga tions is hereafter provided,
to quote from the act itself:
Section 7O9. That the commission
shall put at the disposal of the presi-
dent Of the United. States, the commit
tee on wayS nd naanc of tho bouea nj
representatives. and the committee on
finance of the senate, whenever re-
questcd. all informa tion at its command
and shall make such investigations and
reports as may be requested by the
president or by either of said commit
tees or by either branch of the con-
gress, and shall report to congress on
the first Monday of December of each
year hereafter statement of the
methods adopted and all expenses in
Cured and a summary of all reports
made during the year"
The commission Is specifically en-
powered and directed to investigate
the tariff relations between the United
States and foreign countries, CONNER
cial treaties, preferential provisions
economic alliances, the effect of ex-
port bounties and preferential trans
portation rates, the volume of impor-
tations compared with domestic pro-
duction and consumption, and condi-
tions.. causes, and effects relating to
competition of foreign industries with
those of the United States, including
dumping and cost of production.
Among the inquisitorial powers of
the commission are tho right to copy
any document. paper, or record pertin-
ent to the subject matter under investi
cation, In the possession of any person,
firm, or corporation whatsoever en-
gagged In the production. importation