Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-06
Issues Statement of Views on
Payne Tariff Bill.
PARTY PLEDGES WELL MET
Measure Result of Sincere Effort to
Secure Downward Revision.
REAL DECREASES IN RATES
Not a Perfect Measure, But Best
That Could Be Expected-Happy
Over Philippine Section.

President Taft gave out statement last
night containing his views of the new
tariff act which lie designated officially
the Payne BILL in accordance with the
custom of naming tariff bills for tie
chairmen of the ways and means COM
mittee of the House.
The statement follows:
Il have signed the Payne tariff bill be-
cause I believe ii to be the result of a
sincere effort on the part of the republic
can party to make a downward REVISION
and to comply with the promises of the
platform as they have been generally un-
derstood and as l interpreted them In the
campaign before election.
The bill is not a perfect tariff bill or
a complete compliance with the promises
made. strictly interpreted, but fulfill
ment free from criticism in respect to a
subject matter involving many scheduleS
and thousands of articles could not be ex-
pected. 1t suffices to say that except
with regard to whisky, liquors ana wines,
and in regard TO silks. and as 10 some
high classes of cottons-al1 of which may
be treated as luxuries and proper sub
jects of revenue tarlf-there nave Deeh
very few increases in rates.
Real Decreases in Rates.
There have been a great number of real
decreases in rates, and they constitute a
sufficient amount to justify the statement
that this bill is a substantial. downward
revision and reduction of excessive
rates.
This is not a free trade bill 1t was
not intended to be. The republican party
did not promise to make a free trade bill.
1T promised to make the rates pro-
tective, but to reduce them when they
exceed the difference between the cost
of production abroad and here. making
allowance for the greater normal proht
on active investments here. l belleVe
that while this excess has not been re-
duced in a number of cases, In d great
majority the rates are such as are neces-
sary to protect American Industries, but
are low enough in case of abnormal IN
crease of demand and raising of prices
to permit the possibility of the importa-
ton of the foreign article, and thus TO
prevent excessive prices
The power granted to the executive
under the maximum and minimum clause
NAV be exercised to secure the removal
of obstacles which have been interposed
by foreign governments in the way OF
undue and unfair discrimination against
American merchandise and products.
Gratifed by Philippine Section.
The Philippine tariff section l have
struggled to secure for ten years last
past and it gratities me exceedingly by
my signature TO give it the effect of law.
I am sure it will greatly increase the
trade between. the two countries, and it
will do much to build up the Philippines
in healthful prosperity.
The administrative clauses of the bill
and the customs court are admirably
adapted to secure more uniform AMI
more speedy final construction.
The authority to the President to use
agents to assist him in the application
OF the maximum and minimum section of
the statute and to enable officials to ad-
minister the law gives a wide latitude for
the acquisition, under circumstances ia
vorable to it's truth, of information in re-
spect to the price and cost of production
OF goods at home and abroad which will
present tariff and be of primary i'm
portance officially collected data upon
which future executive action and eXecu-
tive recommendation may be based.
The Corporation Tax.
The corporation tax is a just and
equitable excise measure, which, it is
hoped, will produce sufficient amount
to prevent a deficit, and which, incident
ally, will secure valuable statistics and
information concerning the many corpo-
rations of the country and will constitute
an important step toward that degree OF
publicity and regulation which the ten
dency i'll corporate enterprises in the last
twenty years has shown To be necessary"