Evening star., 1909-04-19
TARIFF DEBATE IS
OPENED IN SENATE
Chairman AIdriCh Promises
Ample Revenue.
EXPLAINS PROVISIONS
OF COMMITTEES BILL
Predicts Surplus in the Fiscal Year
1911.
IS OPPOSED TO INCOME TAX
Suggests: That If Estimates Should
Prove. Incorrect Expenditures
Be Reduced.
Predicts Surplus in the Fiscal Year
1911,
IS OPPOSED TO INCOME TAX

Prove Incorrect Expenditures
Be Reduced.
1r opening the debate Of the pending
tariff bill today Senator AIdrich, chair
man of the committee on finance, assured
the Senate in most positive terms that the
bill reported from the committee on
finance would produce ample revenue for
the government He suggested that II by
any possibility these estimates should
prove to be incorrect the duty of Con-
gress would be to "reduce expenditures
and make them conform to actual revenue
conditions and not to impose new and
onerous taxes
Income Tax Opposed.
Although he did not refer specifically to
any proposition to impose an income tax.
his statement declaring that ample rev.
enues may be derived from other sources
was accepted as direct opposition to all
such propositions.
Nearly every senator was present when
Mr.. Aldrich spoke, and most careful at
tention was accorded him on both sides of
the chamber. Several leading senators
who desired to reply to Mr.. Aldrich de-
ferred doing so until they could carefully
study his statements.
On the desk Of each senator was a COM
parison of the text Of the Dfngley tariff
law with the Payne tariff bill as passed
by the House and as amended and re-
ported from the Senate committee on
finance. In addition statement was fur
nished to each senator showing the esti-
mated revenues under the present law
compared with the amended Payne bill.
Mr. Aldrich called attention to these vol
umes in beginning his speech.
Increase In Customs.
The. net increase from customs over the
existing law was estimated at $11. 666. .14S
for the Payne bill as passed by the House
and $S.934. .428 under the bill as reported
IRON the Senate committee. In making
the estimates the revenues produced In
1905 were used in attaining the compari-
son with the House bill, and the revenues
for 1907, when the imports were much
larger. in arriving at the comparison
with the possibilities under the Senate
bill. Mr.. Aldrich believes that 1907 was
a normal year, while Representative
Payne. chairman Of the House committee
on ways and means. believes 1906 was
he last year when conditions were nor
nal.
Ample Revenue Indicated.
s"1he practical question to which ask
",
sis, Will the bill as reported from the
committee on finance produce sufficient
revenue when taken in connection with
the internal revenue taxes and other ex-
listing sources Of revenue to meet the
expenses of the government without the
imposition os additional taxes?" / an
swer, after a thorough and careful In
Vestigation of the facts and the condi-
tions likely to surround the problem. that
ii WILL"
Mr.. Aldrich submitted statements show
ing the receipts, disbursements, surpluses
and deficits: actual and estimated. Of the
Treasury. for the fiscal years 1900 to
1911. inclusive. His estimates for the
fiscal years 1909 to 1911. inclusive. were
as follows:
sessp sss .,s s
iii; sas.ooOoOo sssOOo.ooo so.ooo.ooi
I'm these statements both the receipts
and disbursements for the Panama canal
have been eliminated Tor obvious rea.
sons" said Dir. Aldrich. TT is the policy
of Congress. which. ! think, has universal
and its construction should not be made
from current revenue. but met by the
sale of bonds.
'.rhe figures submit include all re.
the Post Office Department and the Pan.
anna canal, but the postal deficiencies
are included In all cases in the disburse-
ments. The statement consists Of the
bursemenis for the years 1900 to 1905
inclusive, and shows that In these years
the act Of 1897 lexisting lawo produced a
surplus of 542S,656. "a. an average yearly
surplus Of 81. .62S, 469. The statement com.
mences with the year 1900 The Spanish
war followed the enactment Of the act
of 1897, and the revenues and expenses
OF the government did not reach normal
conditions until the year 1900
How Estimates Were Made.
Mr.. Aldrich explained that he arrived
~ his estimates from data secured in
consultation with Treasury experts.
Taking the present fiscal year TOR ex.
animation. first we have the actual figures
for nine and one-half months. which are
Receipts. sAes.o42.s7s: disbursements
$3.50. 3.ese sl5; showing deficit OF $685..
disbursements OF 1893 ,9S6. S15 for nine and
one-haf months and estimated those fol
the succeeding two and one-half months
on the same basis. reaching the result OF
The customs receipts for the remain
ing two and one-half months of the yeal
1919 will probably bo collected under the
terms OF existing law.
I'm making the estimates of receipt.
OF the year 1909. the actual receipts anc
disbursements for the first nine and one
half months being available. the figure.
for the remaining two and one-haIf
months are based on these ascertainee
results. and indicate receipts for the yeal
of $605. .041. .230 The figures. which mus
be very nearly accurate, show an esti
mated deocit at the end Of the year O
$69 49,
For the year 1910 the appropriation
have already been made, and the amour
which Will be expended can be foretolt
with approximate accuracy
In making the estimates for these ex
penditures / have taken the gross ap
propriations for the year, $1,044. 600. 600
and deducted the appropriations for tn,
Post ONCE Department. $235. 900. 900: tn,
sinking fund. $4,000. 600: the nationa
bank fund. 10000. 600, and Panama cana
expenses, S7,0 900. and have added tn,
official estimate for the postal deicienc,
Sor the year. SIC. 900 600. showing a prob
able total expenditure Of 0,0O0. .0O0 I,
fact, 1t is hardly possible that this tota
amount Will be expended.
If the pending bill should become
law before the 3dth of June next th,
CONTINUED on Eleventh Page.)