TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV 131 



There is no partisan politics in it, becavise no political platform has ever 

 declared for free trade in these things. The amount of the tariff is only 

 about fifteen per cent, and that is very low, not objectionable as being too 

 high as a revenue tariff even. The principle of equal rights to all should 

 entitle stock raisers and farmers to a fair share of the benefits of the tariff 

 system, w^hether levied for revenue or for protection. 



But the slogan should be, whereas in this case the stock raiser and 

 farmer produce enough for the supply of the country, we are entitled to 

 this small advantage to insure us the home market, and that it is a dis- 

 crimination to place us on a free trade basis with no benefits from the 

 tariff system, with most industries on the dutiable- list enjoying its bene- 

 fits, as it will certainly be under any system of either party. 



Another thing is that the spirit of retrenchment in expenditures by the 

 government has led to the introduction in the house of a bill to make live 

 stock sold on the market bear the burden, so much per head, of govern- 

 ment inspection at packing houses, and that is going to lead to the addi- 

 tional expense of marketirg by adding w^hatever inspection costs, amount- 

 ing to about eight cents per head on cattle. This the seller will have to pay. 

 The inspection service is a health measure, and should be borne by the gov- 

 ernment as now and ever since the inspection law -was passed. The theory 

 that the packers would have to pay it and lose it is absurd. 



Again, on revision of the tariff, hides should go back on the dvitiable 

 list. It is true hides have advanced in six months or less, but that reflects 

 on the world price. "We know that but for hides being on the free list we 

 could get at least fifteen per cent more than we do, because we produce 

 less than we use. Hides are now about as high as when they were placed' 

 on the free list, but are lower than they should be if we, like the leather 

 producer, had the benefit of the small tariff on hides. Shoes and leather 

 manufactures did not decline with the decline of hides last year. 



There is only one way for the tariff producer, stock man and farmer to 

 get their share in whatever tariff system we have, and that is to system- 

 atically fight for it. 



Another very serious situation is brewing, in my judgment, and one 

 that I believe from the standpoint of the people deserves careful consid- 

 eration, and that is the arbitrary actions of the newly created Commerce 

 Court towards the decisions and orders of the Interstate Commerce Com- 

 mission. It is noteworthy that the very short time this new tribunal has 

 been in existence, that it has enjoined the commission in a number of 

 cases from enforcing its orders. And in a number of instances it has re- 

 versed the decisions of the commission, thus making it impossible for the 

 shippers to secure any relief, and holding the commission up to a state of 

 ridicule. The facts are, the Commerce Court seems to consider its mission 

 to be the nullification of the commission's orders, and, unfortunately, this 

 court has persistently failed to see the shipper's side of the argument in 

 the cases that have been appealed to it. 



In my annual address two years ago, at the time President Taft was 

 advocating and insisting on congress passing a bill that would create a 

 Commerce Court, I stated my objection to such a court, and gave my rea- 

 sons; and the attitude the court has taken towards the commissions' 

 orders has proven that my fears were well founded. 



It will be remembered that for years this association fought for and 

 demanded that the Interstate Commerce Commission be given power to 

 make just and equitable rates, and after such rates were presented, that 

 the commission should have the power to enforce its orders. Then 



