Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-04-03
Congress is Informed the Daily
Loss is sl0,00O,Oo0.
PRESIDENT TAFT FAv0RS
= A DOWNWARD REVISION
The President VIII Not Dictate 70
Congress, But Tells Callers He Is
Opposed to Tax on Neeessities--Lit-
tie Likelihood OF Passage Of Meas
ure Before June I.

Washington, March s30.--"The coun
try is losing $l0,000,000 dan every
day the passage of the tariff bin Isl
delayed from this time on.
This is what President Taft is say
ing to senators and members OF the
house as fast as he can get word
with individual members OF either
house. The president is bending every
energy toward the speedy settlement
of the tariff question. but the strong
est argument he uses is that quoted
above. And it was in response to his
urging more than anything else that
the house adopted the plan of holding
night sessions from now until the close
of the debate.
This enormous loss Is sustained
through the hesitation of great bust.
ness enterprises to enter upon new
contracts or extend old ones until the
uncertainty about the tariff is settled.
1t is not believed by anybody In
congress that the bill can be passed
before June 1, while many think II
will take from fifteen to thirty days
longer than that. With the president
assuring them that the business in
terests of the country are mourning a
loss of s300,000,000 month, while the
bill is under discussion, and the pos
sibility that this loss will reach to-
tai billion dollars If the work of con
sidering the measure is not expedited.
the leaders on both sides are showing
evidence of willingness to hurry.
President Taft, it is stated, intends
to leave all congressional matters to
congress and does not intend to die
tate to that body what it shall do. At
the same time he takes advantage OF
the calls made upon him by senators
and representatives to state anew in
response to their requests for sugges-
tions his own position and the policy
to which he believes the Republican
party is committed.
Favors Stamp Tax.
The president does not believe that
stamp tax would be a great burden
upon the people. A stamp tax at this
time would not go to the extent of the
war tax imposed in 1898. Such tax
would be far better it is declared at
the White House. than the imposition
Of such a tax or duty on food stuffs as
would cause unrest and anxiety on the
part of the general public.
President Taft has let it be known
that he approves the Payne bill in
principle and that he believes more
schedules in the Dingley tariff should
be revised downward than upward--if
any should. go upward at all. His only
utterances to members of congress on
the subject have been In response TO
their direct requests for his views as
to certain things.
President Taft is known to be spe-
cially opposed to the proposed tax on
tea. It is stated that this tax would
yield about sS,000,000 annually. The
president believes that this amount
could be made up by an excise tax on
the dividends Of corporations or by
some methods OF stamp taxation. He
does not believe that the burden OF
raising this additional $S,000,000
should be placed upon the rank and
file of consumers.
The president also is said to believe
that the ways and means committee Of
the house will not insist on the coun-
tervailing duty proposed on coffee.