394 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



when the senator from Maine (Senator Hale) made a statement on 

 that subject, " but," he said, " I am stating my own views, which are 

 clearly carried out in my judgment by the language used in the act." 

 Senator Newlands then remarked that he was much gratified to receive 

 the assurance from the senator from Rhode Island and that it did credit 

 to that senator's good faith and to his maintenance of his obligation 

 to the senate. 



Senator Aldrich then said : 



I think I can say, without betraying the confidence of the president, that 

 the views which I entertain are also the views entertained by the president of 

 the United States. 



This language of Senator Aldrich, who was chairman of the com- 

 mittee which had charge of the bill in the senate, and who was one of 

 the conferees, was frequently quoted afterwards in the debate, particu- 

 larly by Senator Beveridge, who was and is in favor of a tariff board 

 with sufficient powers to make itself useful, and the bill was passed 

 with that understanding in the senate. In the house after the con- 

 ference, the debate was general and nothing contrary to the senate's 

 intention occurred. 



For the work of the board the present congress at its last session ap- 

 propriated two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the last sundry 

 civil appropriation bill, which contains the following : 



To enable the president to secure information to assist him in the discharge 

 of the duties imposed upon him by section 2 of the act entitled " An act to 

 provide revenues, equalize the duties, and encourage the industries of the 

 United States, and for other purposes," approved August 5, 1909, and the 

 officers of the government in administering the customs laws, including such 

 investigations of the cost of production of commodities, covering cost of ma- 

 terial, fabrication and every other element of such cost of production, as are 

 authorized by said act, and including the employment of such persons as may 

 be required for those purposes, and to enable him to do any and all things in 

 connection therewith authorized by law, $250,000. 



This new provision, while it refers for authority to the old act, is 

 indicative of the construction thereof which has been hereinbefore 

 stated. 



The limitations of the tariff board are in the absence of ways and 

 means of obtaining evidence in regard to the facts about which it is 

 to secure information. It has no power to summon witnesses or com- 

 pel the production of books or papers. If, however, the board shall 

 have access to the facts in the possession of other governmental agen- 

 cies, such as the consular and secret revenue service, the bureau of 

 corporations in the department of commerce and labor, and of the 

 officers of the government, who have charge of the collection of the 

 corporation tax (if that is held to be constitutional), the ways and 

 means which are otherwise lacking will be largely provided for. Under 

 the law the president can direct all other governmental agencies to aid 



