Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-21
TAKING THE TARIFF OUT
OF POLITICS

l personal letter from Senator
Joseph E. Frelinghuysen, OF New
Jersey, (Rep.) 1t explains itself
1t says:
My dear Mr.. Editor:
I am enclosing herewith copy OF
an amendment I have introduced to
provide a means for taking the tar
tiff out of politics, leaving the eco
nomic question to an enlarged tar
iff commission and laying down
the principle of a tariff based on
difference in conversion costs here
and abroad.
The periodical changes in our
tariff create such uncertainty and
confusion in our commercial rela-
tions that l feel, although an avow-
ed protectionist myself. that no
greater reform could be instituted
than by removing the fact-finding
duty from congress and placing it
in a governmental bureau with
power by the commission to suggest
to duties based on a fun
damental plan. l am also sending
a copy of my speech on the intro
duction of the amendment. This
change is so progressive that un-
less the newspapers support it con-
tinuously we will retain the old
system of tariff making and the
unsatisfactory practices of the past.
am writing you personally to
ask for your support for this con-
structive legislation. Unless the
newspapers take up the fight and
keep it up. thus crystallizing pub
lie sentiment, I cannot hope to re-
ceive enough support to induce
congress to make this radical
change in our system.
I am writing to the editor OF
every daily and weekly paper in the
country, asking them to join l the
crusade for a better system OF tar
iff making through this plan.
/ am hoping to have the active
and continuous support of your
paper.
l beg respectfully to remain,
Joseph E. Frelinghuysen-
Senator Frelinghuysen is a men,
Der of the finance committee of the
senate which constructed the pres
ent bill. He admits that the bill is
not scientific or constructed on
proper principles. He says In his
speech introducing that amend
ment:
THE finance committee COM
menced its hearing of the tariff
bill on July IS, 1921, and completed
them January 9, 1922. The sum of
all the testimony given before the
committee, if boiled down to the
actual facts necessary to construct
rates, would not have filled more
than 100 pages of competent testi-
mony, instead Of more than 5000.
No one can wade through this gigan-
tic mass of information without
confusion or be sure of his conclu-
sion because Of the technical ma
ture Of the subjects. Yet in the
preparation of this bill the finance
committee relied upon the best in
formation obtainable. Our oppo-
nents have secured similar infor-
nation from other sources consid-
cred equally reliable, yet the facts
relied upon by both sides are SO diff
ferent that there Is doubt thrown
upon the accuracy Of all of them.
If congress had all the facts, not
part of them, presented in a short
and concise form by a body dele
gated to collect them, such a eondi-
ton would not exist. Even were it
possible for the finance committee
or the ways and means committee
10 COllCCt Va oilooOOt-
ed accuracy it is not fair to ask
either committee to sit day after
day and month after month neglect.
ing other important legislation to
receive such information, when the
entire subject should be analysed
and handled by experts. There is
another very important reason why
a committee of congress should not
be compelled to gather its facts
on this all important and far-reach-
ing subject. A tariff rate as it is
determined today often becomes a,
best a compromise; an attempt tc
meet varying demands of many sec
tons and many opposing interests
All this is very true. But the
senator does not tell US what has
become of the tariff commission
appointed under the last demo
cratic administration for the very