Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-08-12
TAFT SAYS BILL
fuIIflIls Campaigns Pledges of
Republicans
MADE TO The PEOPLE

saying AiaI Nhue tIle measure
Is Not Perfect Tariff Bill, or a
Complete Compliance With the
Promises, 1t VIII Have to Do.
President Taft gave out state.
ment Thursday night embodying his
views of the new tariff act which
is designated officially as the Payne
| bill' in accordance with past Gus
tom OF giving recognition to the
framer Of the mesaure In the house
Of representatives.
The president declares that while
the bill is not perfect by any means
nor "a complete compliance with
promise made, strictly interpreted"
1t is nevertheless a sincere effort ON
the part OF the party to make
! downward revision and to comply
with the promises of the platform.
The statement in full follows:
Il have signed the Payne tariff bill
| because I believe 1t to be the result
or sincere effort on the part of the
republican party to make a down
ward revision, and to comply with
the promises OF the platform as they
| nave been generally understood, and
as L interpreted them In the cam
paign before election.
The bill is not a perfect tariff
Dill, or a complete compliance with
the promises made strictly interpret-
ed bat a fulfillment free from crit
icism In respect to a subject matter
involving many schedules and thou
sands OF articles could not be- ex-
pected. 1t suffices to say that except
with regard to whiskey. liquors and
wines and in regard to silks and as
10 some high classes of cottons-
all of which may be treated as lux
uries and proper subjects of a reve-
nue. tarin-there have been very few
Increases in rates
"ReaI Decrease"
There have been a great number
or real decreases in rates. and thew
constitute a sufficient amount TO ius-
tify the statement that this bill is .
substantial downward revision. and
This is not free-trade bill. 1t
was not intended to be. The Re-
publican party did not promise to
make a free-trade bill.
1t promised to make the rates
protective. but to reduce them when
they exceed the difference between
the cost of production abroad and
mere. oil
greater normal profit on active in
vestments here. 1 believe that while
J this excess has not been reduced In
number of cases, in a great major
lty the rates are such as are neces-
sary TO protect American Industries
put are low enough, in case of alb
normal increase of demand, and
raising of prices, to permit the possi-
Diilty or the importation of the for
eign article and thus to prevent ex-
cessive prices.
The power granted to the execu-
tive under the maximum and mini
mum clause may be exercised to Sc
cure the removal of obstacles which
have been interposed by foreign
governments in the way of undue
and unfair discrimination against
American merchandise and products.
The Philippine tariff section /
have struggled to secure for 10 years
last past, and 1t gratifies me exceed
ingly by my signature to give 1t the
erect OF law. / am sure 1t will
greatly increase the trade between
| the two countries and 1t will do
much to build up the Philippines in
to a healthful prosperity.
THE administrative clause of the
bill and the custom court are ad-
mirably adapted to secure a more
uniform and a more speedy final con-
| struction.
THE authority to the president to
use agents to assist him in the ap-
| plication of the maximum and min
imum section of the statute and to
enable officials to administer the law.
gives wide latitude for the acuui-
sition, under circumstances favora-
bic to Its truth, of information in
respect to the price and cost of pro-
duction of goods at home and
abroad. which will throw much light
on the operation OF the present tar
in and be of primary Importance as
officially collected data upon which
future executive action and executive
recommendations may be based.
The corporation tax Is just and
equitable excise measure, which II is
hoped will produce sufficient
amount to prevent a deficit and
which incidentally will secure valu-
able statistics and information con-
corning the many corporations of the
country, and will constitute an i'm.
portant step toward that degree OF
publicity and regulation which the
tendency in corporate enterprise in
the last 20 years has shown to be
necessary"
Confiscating Contraband.
They are rubbing it into the blind