The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-20
ALDR|CH SURE OF
ENOUGH REVENUE
Chairman of Senate Committee
on Finance Discusses Pend
ing Tariff Measure.
SOLUTION OF PROBLEM
IN CASE OF AN ERROR
Congress Can Cut Down EX-
penses, Making Them Con-
form to Our Income.

WASHINGTON, April 19.--In open
ing the debate on the pending tariff
bill today, Senator Aldrich, chairman of
the committee on finance, assured the
senate in most positive terms that the
bill reported from the finance committee
would produce ample revenue for the
government. He suggested that if, by
any possibility. these estimates should
prove 10 be incorrect, the duty of con.
grcss would be to ''reduce expendl-
lures and make them conform to actual
revenue conditions, and not TO impose
new and onerous taxes.
While he did not refer specifically to
any proposition to impose an income
tax, his statement declaring that ample
revenue may be derived from other
sources was accepted rs direct opposi-
ton to all such propositions.
Great Interest Aroused.
Nearly every senator was present
when Mr.. Aldrich spoke, and most care
full attention was accorded him on both
sides of the chamber Several leading
senators who desired TO reply TO Mr..
Aldrich deferred doing so until they
could carefully study his statements.
On the desk of each senator was a
VI lUt ltAi bl lHt DihHi'.
tariff law with the PAYNE tariff bill as
passed by the house and as amended and
reported from the senate committee on
finance, In addition n statement was
furnished to each senator, showing the
estimated revenues under tho present
law compared with the amended Payne
bill
Comparison Of Revenues,
Mr.. Aldrich called attention TO these
volumes in beginning his speech. The
net increase from customs over the
existing law was estimated at Sli ,665,
74s for the Payne bill as passed by the
house, and $9,934 ,426 under the bill
as reported from the senate commit
tee. In making the estimates the
revenues produced in 1906 were used
in attaining the comparison with tho
house bill, and the revenues for 1907
when imports were much larger, in ar
irving at the comparison with the pos
sibilitics under the senate bill Mr.
Aldrich believes that 1907 was a normal
year, while Representative Payne, chair
| man of tho house committee on ways
and means. believes 1906 was the last
year when conditions were normal.
Mr.. Aldrich said, in part
The practical question to which ask
your attention today Is VIII the bill as
reported from the committee on finance
produce sufficient revenue. when taken
In connection with the Internal revenue
| without additional taXes?' / answer, un.
| hcsitatingy. that II will
Statistics Presented.
| Mr.. Aldrich submitted statements show
J ing the receipts, disbursements, sur
/ pluses and deficits, actual and estimated,
| To- 1911 inclusive. His estimates for the
| fiscal years 1909 10 1911. inclusive, were
as follows:
Year. Receipts. Disbursements. Surplus
1909 s605. .O4i $50 Se74. 1909 $50 's CO. 4s3. $50
! 1910 65j. 100000 100. 600 600 "iI5 600. OO0
1911 695,0Oo,0o0 665,oOo,ooo 10000. oOo
"In these statements, both the receipts
and disbursements for the Panama canal
! have been eliminated. for obvious rea
! sons said Mr. Aldrich. "It IS the policy
OF congress- which has. ] take II. uni
versal approval. that payments for the
| canal and It's construction should not he
made from current revenues, but met by
| the sale of bonds.
'Theso figures include all receipts and
| disbursements except those Of tho post
office department and the Panama canal;
| hut the postal deficits arc included In all
! cages in the disbursements. The state
| ment consists OF the actual official fig
urcs of receipts and disbursements for
| the wears 1909 to 1905, inclusive. and
shows that I'm these years the act or 1872,
| (cNisting law) produced a surplus oi
si2S. S.6o6. 22i. an average yearly. surplus oil
si7 7,62S. .i69,"
Basis of Estimates.
Mr. Aldrich explained that he arrived
| at his estimates from data secured in
consultation with treasury experts.
| Taking the present fiscal year for
! example first We have tho actual figures
! for nine and one-halr months, which arc;
Receipts: $i6S.Gi2.SIa: diSbursen1ents oo,
! $3.50. $50. SIS. showing deficit Of $b6,99l5
! 9i2" he continued II have taken tho
| disbursements OF S53S. .oS6. SIS for nine and
| one half months and estimated those for
| the succeeding two and one-half months
| on the same basis, reaching the result OF
! 1914, 500 $50.
in making the estimates of receipts
| OF 1919 tho actual receipts and dishurse-
! ments for the first nine and one half
| months being available, the Figures for
! tho remaining two and on"-half months
! arc based on those asccrtained results and
! Indicate receipts for the year of s5o3.oi!,
! 23O. The figures show an estimated dell
! eft OF $50. .i62.i50
! have already been made, and the amount
| which win be expended can be forctold
| with approximate accuracy.
I'm making the estimates for these OK
pendi,ures. have taken The gross ap-
! preparations for tho year; Sl.ofi. 100000,
and deducted the approgy51eatai6oGnss a6G so6 for ne
! sinking sund $50. 900 600: the national
! bank fund. $50. 600. 600 and Panama canal
expenses, s37. 100000. and nave added tho
]
/ ynr tho wear. $50 0O0. 600 showing prob
! able total expenditure OF 5000. 100000
Necessity for Action.
! 'It the pending h!ll should become n
! law before June 30 next, the customs
! revenues for tho entire fiscal year OF 1910
would be collected under it's provisions.
| and the probable results constitute the
! crucial point In our Investigations.
! For the purpose Of ascertainine the
! relative revenue producing qualities Of
! the senate bill and the act OF 1897. the
! committee on finance has had prepared
| a statement which is laid before the gen.
/ ate today. II applies the rates OF the
} senate bill to the importations OF 1907,
| We have selected 1907 for the comparison.
as this was the last year In which the
! finances and business OF the country
/ were In normal condition,
''The statement shows that II the sen
| ate bIl had been In force In 1870, tho Gus
! toms revenue produced by IL would have
| been IS O0O. 900 greater than those col.
| lected under the Dinglcy act. the total
Continued on Pagc Two.