Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-25

CONTINUED from First PegeO
sion. In no sense, therefore, can 1t
be claimed that the President can alter
the tariff at will or that despotic power
Is conferred upon the Executive. IT
has been declared a constitutional pro-
cedure by the Supreme Court.
No Tariff Bill Perfect.
"The reasons for the continued in
corporation of such provisions are even
No tariff bill ever enacted has been or
ever will be perfect. It will contain
injustices 1t is beyond human mind
to deal with all the facts surrounding
several thousand commodities under
the necessary conditions of legislation
and not to make some mistakes and
create some injustices. It could not be
otherwise. Furthermore, II a perfect
tariff bill were enacted, the rapidity
Of our changing economic conditions
and the constant shifting of our re-
lations with economic life abroad would
render some items in such an act i'm
perfect in some particular within
year.
"It is proved by half a century of
experience that the tariff cannot be
reviewed by Congress more than once
In seven or eight years. It Is only a
destruction of the principles of the
flexible tariff to provide that the Tariff
Commissions recommendations should
be made to Congress for action instead
Of the President. Any person expert
enced In tariff legislation In the last
half century knows perfectly well that
Congress cannot reopen single items OF
the tariff without importing discussions
all along the line, without the con-
slant unsettlement Of business and the
importation of contentious and factious
questions to the destruction of other
important duties by Congress. Con-
gress has literally hundreds Of times
in the past refused to entertain any
amendment to a tariff except in periods
of general revision.
Agriculture Benefited.
Although the provisions of the 1922
tariff act, as have stated in the mes
sage. proved to be cumbersome in the
method of determining costs of pro-
duction and can be improved, yet
despite this the agricultural industry
especially received great benefits
through this provision, notable In
stance of which was the protection Of
the dairy industry. That industry
would be in a sad plight today If it had
not been for the increased duties given
under the flexible tariff.
THE flexible provision is one of the
most progressive steps taken in tariff
making IN all our history. 1t is en-
tirely wrong that there should be no
remedy to isolated cases of injustice
that may arise through the failure to
adequately protect certain industries or
to destroy the opportunity to revise
duties which may prove higher than
necessary to protect some industries and
therefore become onerous upon the
public. To force such situation upon
the public for such long periods is, in
my view. economically wrong and is
prejudicial to public interest.
IT am informed the principle is sup
ported by the most important Of the
farm organizations. 1t is supporttd
by our leading manufacturing organiza =
tions. It is supported by labor and con-
sumers' organizations. 1t has never
hitherto been made a political issue. lii
the last campaign some important
Democratic leaders even advocated the
increase of powers in the tariff COM
mission so as to practically extlngulsh
congressional action. do not support
such plan.
I have no hesitation in saying that
regard it as of utmost Importance.
in justice to the public, @s a protec-
ton for the sound progress In our
economic system, and for the future
protection of our farmers and our in
dustries and consumers, that the f1exi-
BILE tariff, through recommendation Of
the Tariff Commission to the Execu-
tive, should be maintained"
Held Slap at Watson.
The statement was made public late
yesterday just as the Senate was get
ting under way with debate on the
issue. It was promptly described by
Senator Harrison. Democrat, Missls-
sippi, as a Reputation" by the Presi-
dent of Senator Watson of Indiana,
the Republican leader, who told the
Senate last week he would use his in
fiuence to keep the Chief Executive out
of the controversy while the bill was
pending in Congress.
1t showed, Harrison said, that the
!! contest over the flexible provision, 1.-The
most inquitous provision of the bill
was one between 1.-The Old Guard Re-
publicans and the Progressives and
Democrats" with the President taking
"a position with the Old Guard
The Presidents view, as explained
aside from his statement, was that
having made his position in support of
the flexible tariff clear in his message