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

an increased domestic demand Is the
most hopeful sign in the business sky
OF course it is not surprising that in
September and October. In the midst
of national campaign, the Republican
Campaign managers should claim credit
for what prosperity there exists in this
country. However, in June, 1928. presi-
dent Coolidge, the leader of the Repub-
lican party, in addressing meeting
of Government officials made no such
claim. He is reported In the seventh
annual report of the director OF the
Bureau Of the Budget to have said:
1T would be unfortunate II out of
these discussions the impression should
BE- gained that 1t is the obligation of
the Government to furnish the people
with prosperity. They are entitled, "
the President said, Ito such an adj
ntnistration OF their affairs as will give
there was to be prosperity they must
furnish 1t themselves"
Naturally, the Republican party at
tempts to link prosperity to the tariff
with the hope that they may create
alarm In the business world by fore
casting imaginary reductions Of the
tariff following Democratic success and
by appealing for support to special and
favored interests that might Improperly
benefit BY an Increase in some of the
tariff schedules. -
Reviews Tariff Legislation.
Let us briefly review the history of
tariff legislation in the past, and I am
satisfied that 1t will demonstrate the
insincerity of the Republican position
on this question. Every person who
has given thought to the subject knows
how unsatisfactory has been the method
of both political parties in the past In
dealing with this important problem
No tariff bills found their way into
the statute books of the country as the
result of fair, impartial end scientific
inquiry. No tariff bill has ever been
produced as a result of report Of an
impartial fact-finding body. The tariff
| has been in politics and tariff bills have
uniformly been the result OF what we
! call legislative log-rolline. Special IN
! terests represented at Washington have
! been in position to write their own
schedules, the final product has been
compromise and clearly indicates that
even the most conscientious members
of Congress we're without the necessary
information on which to pass an intelli-
gent. business-like tariff measure. Z
One of the leading authorities on the
tariff in this country, Prof F. W. Taus-
sig of Harvard University, former chair
man of the United States Tariff Conn
mission, speaking Of the traditional
method of framing tariff legislation,
said:
Influential persons could fix legis-
lation and work jokers In and eventu-
ally bring into effect provisions which
could not be said. to be intended by
Congress Or by anyone except, an oc-
cAsional conflivins member OF Con-
sress. Our. tariffs have bssn settled in
ignorant and IRRESPONSIBLE fashion.
OF this we ! have bccen1e painfully
aware
Compla ints Pronounced.
Complaint Of tariff bills was so pro-
ncunced that the progressive members
of both political parties 20 years ago
recommended that there be some scicn-
tific basis for tariff legislation and
sought means by which the facts neces-
sarv for the information Of Congress
on this subject might be procured by
an impartial fact-findins body As far
back as 1909 several bills for the crea-
ton of such commission were intro
duced in the National Congress. but
went to death in committee. Under
President was given the power to ap-
point board to advise him with re-
spect to foreign tariffs discriminating
against American products. Under
this provision President Taft appointed
board made up Of three Republicans
The following year there was proposed
bill to establish a bipartisan COM
mission to deal generally with the tariff,
but it was killed in a f1libuster on the
last day of thu session, it being noted
at the time that a majority Of Con-
gress actually approved it. When ]
say that It YVES lost in a filibus.cr that
means that it was beaten by indirec-
| ton and not on the merits.
Notwithstanding its defeat. the Presi-
dent added two Democratic members
to the existing tariff board to the end
that he might carry ont what he re-
sarded as the intent of Congress.
Refers 10 Taft.
In a message to Congress on Deem
Der T.. 1899, referring to his authority
to appoint q tariff board President
Taft said
II believe the work of this board to
be Of prime utility end Importance
whenever Congress shall deem 1t wise
again to readjust the custom duties.
Nothing haltS business and interferes
with the growth OF prosperity so much
as the threatened revision of the tariff,
and until the facts are at hand after
careful and deliberate investigation,
upon which such revision can properly
be undertaken, II seems to me unwise
to attempt 1t. The amount of misin-
formation that creeps into arguments
pro and con In respect to tariff rates
is such as to require the kind of in
vestigation that have directed the
tariff board to make"
Again he emphasized the necessity
for tariff commission in an address
at Portland, Greg, on october 2, 1909,
in which he said
You hear a great deal about the
tariff, but I would like to have you
take up a tariff bill and go through
1t and then tell me what 1t means. why,
it is just like so much Choctaw to q
man who Is not an expert"
l. It will be readily understood that
this expression from President Taft did
not indicate on his part a great deal
OF respect for the common sense OF
the average tariff bill. have taken
occasion to look up his reference to
Choctaw and find that it is one of tire
/ largest Indian tribes with a most diff
cult language
Unable to Cope With Leaders.
| 1t Is matter of history that Presi-
dent Taft was unable to cope with the
leaders of his own party in carrying
/ out the principle of fact-finding by a
| tarlH commission before the passage of
a general tariff. He was astounded
when he found how unpopular was the
Payne-Aldridge bill, accepted by him,
ana not based upon any reliable infor-
matlon such as could be furnished by
j tariff commission.
Inc bipartisan board named by
PRESIDENT Taft went out of existence In
1912 when Democratic Congress failed
! 10 MAKE an appropriation for its con-
| tlnuance. The staff of the board and
! IN erect its duties were transferred TO