Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 261, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1916 — Creation of Tariff Commission By Congress Result of Popular Demand [ARTICLE]

Creation of Tariff Commission By Congress Result of Popular Demand

By H. H. GROSS

President of the Tariff Communon League

After eighteen months of strenuous campaigning for a permanent, nonpartisan tariff commission, during which we succeeded in securing the support of over seven hundred organizations, representing every phase of activity, with a membership of over six millions of voters, nearly half of which was represented by agricultural organizations, our efforts were crowned with success. The demand to ‘ take the tariff out of politics” found a ready response everywhere. Ninety-two per cent of approximately two thousand publications to which the plan was subinitted approved it and gave it strong support. Popular demand was so great and the need for such a body so obvious that the president came out in support of such a commission, and in June, for the first time in history, both of the leading political parties, in their respective platforms, indorsed the plan without qualification. The Rainey tariff commission bill became a law September 8. If the president is. fortunate in the selection of the commissioners, this legislation will make history. It will gradually destroy the tariff as a political issue, and such tariff changes as may be required from time to time will be made upon definite and authentic information instead of upon pull and guesswork. When the commission shall have gathered all the essential information upon the subject of tariff, analyzed, classified and indexed the same, and set it forth in plain English, the voters of the country, at the polls, will determine a permanent tariff policy, and the rates will be adjusted to it. This is what occurred in European countries afte’r full information had been gathered, and it is what will occur here. This measure should prove a great piece of constructive legislation. There is another feature: It is perhaps the best example of recent years of the people forcing legislation from congress. It shows conclusively that the people rule when they will to do so.