Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-14

This, photo. received by teleph0tO.
the raiirssd station on the. nominees
MN, 80 -. :. -.
the old .worn-out political method Of
leg-rolling and star chamber proceed
ines. It Is a matter Of record that tbs
representatives Of special interests
paraded through the Hobbies of thf
National Capitol and secured for those
whom they represented tariff schedule:
that they desired enacted largely ir
return for campaign contributions
the pre.electicn slogan being Small
favors thankfully received, larger ones
with A proportionate amount of g:ati'
tude." l could offer great deal Of EVIL
dence to back up what / just said. Lei
1t be sufficient for me to refer to DR.
William Starr Myers. professor Of poll
tics Of Princeton University. himself a
Republican writing the history OF his
own party when he said:
The Fordney-McCun1ber tariff was
worked out In a spirit of log-roilins
that was anything but edifying to the
country 1t required long and bitter
fight before this piece Of legislation
finally passed the two houses Of Con-
gress and was signed By President
Harding on September 81. 1922. II
stands ss one of the most ill-drawn
pieces Of legislation in recent political
history. It is probably near the actual
truth to say that. taking for granted
some principle of protection Of Ameri-
can business and industry, the country
has prospered due to postwar condi-
tons abroad and In spite Of rather
than on account Of the Fordney-Mc-
Cumbcr tariff. Mr.. Fordney himself
was of the vintage OF the Republican
campaign textbook for 1889 and APP
parently had learned nothing since
that time"
Plans Later Statement.
Later on in the campaign. If time
permits 1t, / will 20 into detail regard
ing the treatment accorded TO the Tariff
Commission under the Republican ad-
ministrations of the past seven and q
half years.
AS indicating clearly what President
Coolidge's attitude was to this import
ant agency of the Government, / shall
refer to one of the Democratic men,
bcrs. David j. Lewis of Maryland. In
his case President Coolidge went so far
as to ask that letter of resignation
be left with him before he would re-
appoint Mr.. Lewis on the commission
The records show this. Mr. Culoertson
Republican member of the commission,
had an interview with the President
He says: t~<
II received a request over the tele-
phone to come to the White House to
see the President I went over i'm
mediately The President was reason
ably cordial. The President stated he
intended to reappoint Mr. Lewis, but
that he desired MIR. Lewis to prepare
and give to him letter of resignation
as a member OF the Tariff Commission
At first / did not fully comprehend the
nature Of the request. spoke of Mr.
Lewis term having already expired
then the President explained that he
wanted Mr. Lewis to submit his resig-
nation under the new commission, tc
be effective in case he tthe Fresident)
desired at any time in the future to
accept It, The President then handed
that I would take down the tenor OF
the letter he wished Mr.. Lewis to write
I wrote down the following words: !
hereby resign as member of the Tariff
Commission. to take effect upon your
acceptance
Lewis Was Indignant.
When Mr.. Culbertson explained tbs
situs ton to Mr. Lewis, the latter was
surprised and indignant Mr.. Lewis, In
his testimony before the Senate com
mittee investigating the Tariff Commits
sion, then said: ~
"As ! entered the Office of the Presi.
dent he greeted me cordially and sale
in his quiet way. Mr.. Lewis, I am goins
to reappoint you AS he said that hs
reached over on his desk for a large
paper, which turned out to be the com.
mission. and YVES proceeding to sign it
SO far as can Judge, when he had got.
ten about half way through the sigma.
ture he asked me-'Did you bring thai
letter with you?'-refefriiig toathe letter
Of resignation. said, No. Mr.. Presi.
dent. From such consideration as
have been able to give TO the matter
do not feel free to sign such a letter.
He stopped momentarily and seemed
much displeased, and then resumed the
signature, saying, Well, it docs not mat
ter; you will hold Office only at my
pleasure In any event Noticing his dis
appointment said, Mr.. President. per-
haps If you we're to hear the considera-
lions which determined me to this con-
clusion you might agree with my point
of view
HE said, oh no. I would not B,
this time the paper was finished and he
pushed over toward my position near
the desk Compelled to notes his con-
tinued displeasure I said, Well, now
Mr. President, you and l are the only
men i'm the world who know that paper
| has been signed. Just destroy it. l dc
not want to be unfair or dishonorable
with you. just destroy it, He said, oh
I a IAAt lSAI
intention or thought of using 1t at all
became necessary between us it might
be accomplished more pleasantly in this
way.
Quotes DR.. Pare. =.
The President did not send Mr.. Lewis
name to the Senate for confirmation
and consequently his recess appointment
expired on March 4. 1924, when Con-
gress adjourned.
In connection with this treatment
of Commissioner Lewis by President
Coolidge, it is worth while to quote
what Dr. Thomas Walker Page, chair.
man of the Tariff Commission, under
| Presidents Wilson and Harding, ane
chairman of the Institute Of Economic:
at Washington says as to how a tariff
commission ought to function
For accomplishing any effective re-
form the maintenance of a permanent
tariff commission Is indispensable. 1
is absolutely essential that a tariff com
mission should carry out It's work with
out prejudice. Nothing can so com
| pletely destroy the usefulness Of suci
an agency as the faint of favoritisn
or Partially or political bias"
The best proof of the utter neglec
Of the Tariff Commission by the Re
publican administration is that unde
pretense of economy their appropri
ations were reduced to point wher
they were compelled to stop a grea
many of their studies.