Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-04-24
Chairman Of The FINANCE
Committee Explains That
Body's Measure to
The Senate.
he Evidently Fears The Demand Of
The Democrats For An Income
Tax Clause will Be Sue
CeSSfuI In The Final
Wind.up.

pending tariff bill today, Senator Al
drich, chairman 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 govern
ment. He suggested that if. by any
possibility these estimates should
prove to be incorrect the duty Of Con-
gress would be to reduce expendi-
lures and make them conform to ac-
tual revenue conditions and not to i'm
pose new and onerous taxes"
While he did not refer specifically
to any proposition to impose an in
come tax his statement declaring that
ample revenues may be derived from
other sources was accepted as direct
opposition to all such propositions.
Nearly every Senator vas present
when Mr.. Aldrich spoke and most
careful attention was accorded him on
both sides of the chamber. Several
leading Senators who desired to reply
to Mr.. Aldrich deferred doing so I'M
til they could carefully study his state
ments.
Mr.. Aldrich said in part: "The
practical question to which I ask your
attention today, is: Will the bill as
reported from the committee on
when taken in connection with the in
ternal ven taxes and other exist
ing sources of evenue to meet the ex-
penses of the governmnt without the
imposition of additional taxes?" l an
lswer unhesitatingly, after a thorough
and careful investigation of the acts
and the conditions likely to surround
the problem, that it will"
Mr.. Aldrich submitted statement
IshoWirg the receipts, disbursements,
SURPRISES and deficits, actual and esti-
mated. of the treasury, for the fiscal
years 1900 to 1911, inclusive. He con-
tinued:
The changes which we propose to
make in the administrative act in
clude Cd new definitions of dutiable
value and new methods in its proper
entertainments; ca more efficient col
lection machinery; and CD a provi-
sion for the creation of a customs
court to insure uniformity of decisions
n customs cases. The provisions sug-
gested will in the opinion of the COM
mittee, result in the collection of a
certain percentage more revenue in
the Importation of the same articles
than was collected under the act of
1897.
THE extent of undervaluationS
practiCed under existing law, is vari-
1usly estimated at from ten to twenty
five pei cent. of the revenue collection.
If any considerable portion of this
parctice is corrected by the provisions
[ have alluded to, whe can certainly
safely add five millions to the estimate
Of revenue for 1910, based upon the
Importation of 1907, $345, 900, 0OO."
Mr.. Aldrich hen said:
Business. activity and movement
for increased importations has al
ready commenced We can feel the
change in the air. THE customs re-
ceipts for the thirty-nine business
lays from March l to April Is, inclu-
sive, increased is compared with the
corresponding days in 1908, $12,031.
093.0S, or an average daily increase OF
$26l,545.5O. This increase seems to b.
progressive as the report for the last
day, which I have, April Is, shows re-
ceipts from all sources, $2,072, 072.86
as compared with receipts Of $1,283,
321.30 On the corresponding day Of
last year.
"The total receipts from customs
for the first sixteen days of April wert
I$15,976,106.67, against $11, 80, Pills il
April of last year, and the statement
of the first to the sixteenth Of Apr
shows an excess of receipts over
penditures this year of $312.929.9 as
against an excess of expenditures over
receipts of the corresponding period
of last year of $685. 25.S8.
Chose who do not believe in this
continued march of improvement have
little knowledge of the recuperative
powers of the American people, anC
the spirit of confidence which will ac-
company a guarantee of security an(
Industrial peace.
For the year 1911 / nave estimated
an increase of revenue of $40. 900 .O0l
and a reduction of expenditures o
S35,eO0,O00, a consequent surplus o
$3o,t00,000. This surplus would Ger
tainiY continue and a normal bushes
condition. There can be no reasona
BILE question of the sufficiency of tn
Senate bill to provide adequate reve
nue."
Mr. Aldrich said that the statemen
submitted to the Senate shows tina
if the Senate bill had been in force i
1907 the customs revenue produced b
it would have been $4,000, 900 create
than those collected under the Dine
LEY act. the totals being $685., 0Oe, 90