Ellsworth American., 1909-08-11
WEDNESDAY AUGUST IL, 1909.
The President on the Tariff Bill.
What President Taft saws of th

The President on the Tariff Bill.
What President Taft says of the |
Payne tariff bill probably expresses
the views of the majority in Congress
and in the country as we'll as any brief
statement can. ~ have signed the |
Payne tariff bill,, he says, "because l
believe it to be the result OF sincere |
effort on the part of the republican |
party to make a downward revision,
and to comply with the promises of |
the platform as they have been gener-
ally understood, and as I interpreted
them in the campaign before election.
"The bill is not perfect tariff bill
or complete compliance with the
promises made, strictly interpreted,
but fulhllment free from criticism in
respect to q subject matter involving
many schedules and thousands OF ar
ticles could not be expected. 1t suf-
Gees to say that except with regard to
whiskey, liquors and wines, and in re-
gard to silks and as to some high
classes of cotton, all of which may be
treated as luxuries and proper sub
jects OF revenue tariff, there have
been very few increases in rates.
'There have been q great number
Of decreases in rates, and they consti
tute a sufficient amount to justify the
statement that this bill is substan-
tial downward revision, and reduc-
ton of excessive rates.
ssThis is not free trade bill. 1t
was not intended to be. The republi-
can party did not promise TO make a
free trade measure. It promised to
make the rates protective, but to re-
duce them when they exceeded the
difference between the cost of pro-
ductioa abroad and here, making al
lowance for the greater normal profit
on active investments here.
~ believe that while the excess has
not been reduced in number of cases,
in great majority the rates are such
rs are necessary to protect American
Industries, but are low enough, in
cases of abnormal increase of demand,
and raising of prices, to permit the
possibility of the Importation of the
foreign article and thus prevent ex-
cessive prices.
1.-THE power granted to the execu-
tive under the maximum and mini
mum clause may be exercised to secure
the removal of obstacles which have
been interposed by foreign govern
ments in the way of undue and unfair
discrimination against American mer-
chandise and products.
''The Philippine tariff section 1
have struggled to secure for ten years
last past, and it grati6es me exceed
ingly by my signature to give it the
effect of law. am sure it will greatly
increase the trade between the two
countries, and it will do much to build
up the Philippines into a healthful
prosperity.
ssThe administration clause of the
bill, and the customs court, are admir-
ably adapted to secure a more uni
form and a more speedy final con-
struction of the meaning of the law.
"The authority to the President to
use agents to assist him in the appli-
cation of the maximum and minimum
section OF the statute and to enable
officials to administer the law, gives
wide latitude for the acquisition under
circumstances favorable to its truth,
of information in respect to the prices
and cost of production of goods at
home and abroad, which will throw
much light on the operation of the
present tariff and be of primary i'm
portance as officially collected data
upon which future executive action
and executive recommendations may
be based.
"The corporation tax is just and
equitable excise measure which, it is
hoped, will produce a sufficient
amount to prevent a deficit and which
incidentally will secure valuable sta
tistics and information concerning the
many corporations of the country, and
will constitute an important step to-
ward that degree Of publicity and
regulation which the tendency in cor
porate enterprises in tho last twenty
years has shown to be necessary
T.ua e. ~. D1~H~