Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-20
ALDRICH DECLARES HIS
COMMITTEE BILL BEST
FOR TARIFF
Continued From Page One

country were in normal condition.
1.-THE statement shows that If the sen@
| ate bill had been in force in 1907 the Gus
| toms revenue produced by it would have
1 been $780, 900 greater than those collected
| under the Dingley act. the totalS being
$685., 00O,O coo under the act of 1897, and $780,
J COO under the senate bill.
This increase of revenue is due to adj
vance in rates on a few articles of lux
ury, such as wine. spirits, etc. 1t is also
| due to the substitution made in the bill
| in all cases where ii was possible, specific
| for ad valorem duties. This will prevent
| under-valuation and consequently in
| crease revenues. This increase will be
more marked in the silk schedule than
| elsewhere.
There are other changes which will be
| included in the bill that will effect the
! comparative revenues.
Proposed Change in Act
THE changes which we propose to
make in the administrative act include:
| l. New definitions of dutiable value and
new methods in it's proper entertainment;
| .. more efficient collection machinery.
! and g. a provision for the creation of
customs court to insure uniformity of de-
| cisions in customs cases. The provisions
| suggested will, in the opinion of the COM
/ mittee result in the collection of a GER
I
| portation of the same articles than was
| collected under the act of 1897.
"Thc extent of the INTERPRETATIONS
practiced under existing law is variously
/ estimated at from 10 to 25 per cent of the
revenue collected. If any considerable
portion of this practice is corrected by
| the provisions l have alluded to, we can
| certainly safely add FIVE millions to the
J estimate of revenue in the year 1910 MAX
- for
based upon. the importation of 1907. OF
/ Ss45 600 OOO l have assumed that the i'm
! portation of 1907 is the proper basis for
comparison We should not lose sight OF
| the fact that there will be approximately
| four millions of people more in the United
| states to be provided for In 1910 than IN
1907 and If other conditions remain the
same, there will be a natural increase
| from this cause. The committee believe
that the extent of importations and re-
sulting revenue will be greater in 1910 than
| in 1907 because of improved business con-
| ditions.
Increased ImportatiOns
Business activity and the movement for
increased importations has already COM
menced. We can feel the change in the
air. The customs receipts for the thirty
nine DAYS business from March TO April
| 15 inclusive increased as compared win
the corresponding days in 1908, $l2,OSl OsSOS'
or an average daily increase of $26l, 54o.oo.
The total receipts from customs for the
first sixteen days of April are $l5,S6 1O6.S7,
against $11 OS9, 27715 in April of last year,
| and the statement of the first to the six
teenth of April shows an excess of re-
CENTS over expenditures this year OF $Sl2,-
99q 90 as against an excess of eXpendi-
lures over receipts of the corresponding
period of last year of $6,61S,s25.SS.
There is no incentive for these en-
larged importations except improved con-
ditions of the country, and the reduced
stocks of imported merchandise" said
Mr. AIdrich 1.-The character of the leg
islation proposed furnishes no reason for
accelerated imports. there are practi-
caIly no rates above the rates imposed
| by the act of 1897. 1t must be conceded
that the era of prosperity which COM
menced the first part of March is likely
to continue uninterruptedly with the en-
actment of wise tariff legislation.
1.-THE estimates which 1 have made of
increased revenues growing out of this
change in conditions are most conserva-
tive. If the same rate of increase which
| has obtained since the first of March
should be applied to the eight months of
the financial year 1910, not covered by
the period of Improvement in this year,
we should then have an increase over
the receipts for the present fiscal year
say 1926, 900, 900 of $54, 4O1, 3e5, making a to-
tai of $349, 401, 0VJ without taking into ac-
count the additional sources of revenue
provided for.
For the year 1911 have estimated an
increase of revenues of $40O00,000 and a
reduction of expeditures of $4,000, 600, a
consequent surplus of $780, 900, 900. This sur
plus void certainly contine under normal
| bsiness conditions. There can be no rea-
| sonable question or the sufficiency of the
senate bill to provide adequate reve-
nue..
Caring for Deficiencies
IF the statements 1 have submitted
are approximately correct, the Independent
question arises: In what way is the treas
ury to take care of the deficiencies l
have indicated for the present and the
following fiscal year?" inquired the sena-
tor from Rhode Island.
! THE treasury has today. including the
S74, 6S1 1858 which it is entitled to receive
for reimbursement of canal expenditures.
practically 900 of available surplus
over a necessary working balance. This
| surplus is likely to be reduced say $780,
| 600 between now and the 30th of June by
| additions to the deficiency for the cur
| rent fiscal year, leaving that date an
! available surplus of S94, 900. If the es-
! Inmates l have made for the year of 1910
| are accurate, the estimated deficiency OF
| S45, OOO in that year would still leave
| a surplus in the treasury of S49,000000.
! which would be increased from time to
| time in the subsequent years.
| IN estimating the treasury surplus /
| have assumed, that canal bonds can be
| sold from time to time to an amount
which will reimburse the treasury for ali
! payments on account of the canal and
that they are now available for that pur-