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 IL Estimates Should
Prove. Incorrect Expenditures
Be Reduced.
Predicts Surplus in the Fiscal Year
1911.
IS OPPOSED TO INCOME TAX

Be Reduced.
Tn opening the debate Of the pending
tariff bill today Senator Aldrich, chair
man of the committee on finance, assured
the Senate in most positive terms that the
bill reported from the committee or
finance would produce ample revenue fol
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 tc
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
MIR. 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 COM
parison of the text Of the Dingley 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 q 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. 74s
for the Payne bill as passed by the House
and ss.934, ,428 under the bill as reported
IRON the Senate committee. In making
the estimates the revenues produced In
1908 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
he last year when conditions were nor
nal.
Ample Revenue Indicated.
The practical question to which ask
your attention today" said Mr.. Aldrich,
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 o: additional taxes?" ! an
swer after thorough and careful in
vestigation Of the facts and the condi-
tions likely to surround the problem, that
il 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:
Cal. year. Receipts: Disbursements Surplus.
1910. =. sssooo.oSS ~ ~Soo.ooo.oeo 5000. 90 90
lsll. es5oooooo 6s5.Ooo.oO0 3o.ooo,oOt
In these statements both the receipts
and disbursements for the Panama canal
have been eliminated Tor obvious rea.
sons" said Mr.. Aidrich. TT is the policy
of Congress. which, think, has universal
approval that payments for the cana
and its construction should not be made
frora current revenue. but met by the
sale of bonds.
".rhe figures I eubmit include all re-
ceipts and disbursements except those o,
anna canal. but the postal deficiencie.
are included in all cases in the disburse
ments. The statement consists OF th'
actual ofhcial figures OF receipts and dis
inclusive. and shows that In these year
the act OF 1897 (existing lawo produced I
surplus of S42s. .656. "a, an average yearl.
surplus of SA7. 7.62S 469. The statement com
war followed the enactment Of the &C
OF 1887. and the revenues and expense
Of the government did not reach norma
conditions until the year 1900
How Estimates Were Made.
Mr., Aldrich explained that ne arrive
at his estimates from data secured j
consultation with Treasury experts.
Taking the present fscal year for ex
animation. first we have the actual figure
for nine and one-half months, which are
Receipts, $6S,O42.s73: disbursement
s533. 3.9s6.s15; showing deficit OF s65
9i3,942." he continued Il have taken tn
disbursements OF $533, ,9s6.S15 for nine an
one-half months and estimated those fo
the succeeding two and one-haH month
on the same basis. reaching the result c
$674. .5O9. $50
The customs receipts for the remain
ing two and one-half months Of the yea
1899 will probably DO collected under tn
terms OF existing law.
I'm making the estimates Of receip,
OF the year 1909. the actual receipts an
disbursements for the first nine and one
half months being available. the figure
for the remaining two and one-hal
months are based on these ascertaine
results. and indicate receipts for the yes
of $6O5. .041. .23O The figures, which mu.
be very nearly accurate, show an est
mated deecit at the end Of the year I
$69. 49,, ,45O.
For the year 1910 the appropriation
have already been made, and the amour
which will be expended can be foreto
with approximate accuracy.
In making the estimates for these =,
II have fok tho nv
propriations for the year. $1.044. .00O. 90
and deducted the appropriations for Il
Post ONCE Department. $235. 900. 900: II
sinking fund. $50. 900. 900: the nation,
bank fund, $50. 0OO. 900. and Panama cam
expenses, $37 .0O0. 900. and have added II
official estimate for the postal deicienC
FOR the year. $20.OO0.00o. showing a prol
able total expenditure of $700.0O0.000.
fact, 1t Is hardly possible that this tot
amount will be expended.
IF the pending bill should become
law before the 30th of June next Il
(Contjnued on Eleyenth Page.)