Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-13
TAFT DECLARES
ALDRlCH TARIFF
RfDEEMS PLEDGE
R0OSEvELTlAM HYSTERlA IS
CAUSE OF CRISIS
REPUBLICANS ARE WARNED TO
PATCH UP TROUBLES
Dissolution Threatens If Harmony Is
Not Restored-Says G. o. p.
Will Yet Do All It
Agreed
tContinned frOm Page Onel


the party that the time had come when
instead of increasing duties they must
be decreased, when the party recog-
nized in its platform, and in much of
what it did, that the proper measure of
protection was the difference in cost in
the production of articles here and
abroad. including a fair profit to the
manufacturer There was a dispute
as to what that difference is, and
whether it was recognized in the
change of all the duties downward.
Particularly was this the case on the
materials that enter into the manu-
facture of paper and paper itself The
reduction on print paper was from $6
to 1915, or about 81 per cent.
Difference of Opinion
There was real difference of opinion
on the question of fact whether the
new duty correctly measured tht differ
ence in the cost of production of print
paper abroad and print paper here. 1t
affected the counting rooms of the
newspapers of the country and invited
the attention of the newspaper pro-
prietors who had associated themselves
together like other interests for the
purpose of securing reduction OF the
tariff The failure to make a large re-
duction showed itself clearly in the
editorial columns of great number of
the newspapers, whatever their party
belief.
The amount of misrepresentation to
which the tariff bill in its effect as
downward revision bill was subjected
has never been exceeded in this coun-
try. and it will doubtless take the
actual operation of the tariff bill for
several years to show to the country
exactly what the legislation and It's
effects are.
1t is perhaps too early to institute
the fairest comparisons between the
Payne Aldrich bill and the bill which
preceded it, but the Payne-Aldrich bill
has been in operation now for SIX
months and figures are at hand from
which we may make q reasonable in
ference, first, as to whether 1t Is
revision downward and second, as TO
its capacity for producing revenue, Tor
it must be borne in mind that the
passage of the law was demanded not
only for the purpose of changing rates
in their effect upon the industries OF
the country, but also for the purpose
of increasing trade and revenues, and
the success of the measure is to be
iudged by it's results in both these re-
spects.
Bring Along Proof
The bureau statistics is authority for
the statement that during the first six
months of the operation of the Payne
law, WHICH udS JuSI ClANCog NAlC HNSt
age rate of duty paid on all dut1able
imports was 21.9 per cent ad valorem.
The average of duty paid on all i'm
ports for the same six months for the
four preceding years under the Dingley
law was 24.3. This would show that
the reduction in the Payne law is 2.94
per cent of the value of the goods, or
the reduction below the previous tariff
rates is y per cent, showing down.
ward revision to this extent in those
goods which are dutiable.
But this is not all. Under the Payne
law SIG per cent of the gross imports
for the last six months have been en-
tered free, while under the four years
preceding for the same six months the
free list amounted to 45.5 per cent of
the total importations, so there was
not only a reduction of duty on duti-
able imports of about IL per cent but
also an enlargement of about the same
percentage of the free list.
For the production of revenue the
Payne law is even more of an i'm
provement on the Dingley bill. During
the six months that the Payne law
has been in force, from August TO
the night of February 5, the customs
receipts amounted to $166 002, 856.54
Under the Wilson-Gorman tariff the
semi-annual average was $685. 147, 625.90
Under the Dingley tariff the semi
annual average was $130, ,265, ,S41.S4.
Under the Wilson tariff the monthly
average was $13, ,857, ,9S765. Under the
Dingley tariff the monthly average
was S21, no, ,97S.64, while under the
Payne tariff the monthly average has
been $27, ,677 142.75, or 100 per cent great
er than the monthly average under
the Wilson tariff and 26 per cent
greater than the monthly average
under the Dingley tariff.
Receipts Are Larger
OF course as the country increases
in population the customs receipts in
crease, but even considering the pop
ulation the increase in the tariff re-
ceipts has been marked. Under the
Wilson tariff the annual average Gus
toms receipts per capita We're S2.3S;
under the Dingley law, 1923, while
under the Payne tariff they are $3.71.
For the six months that the Payne
tariff has been in force the total re-
ceipts, both from customs and internal
revenue, has been 1923, ,S99, ,23191, while
the disbursements have been 1882, 1885,
2S3.08, showing that the expenditures
exceeded the receipts by only $685.
051.17, with no collection as yet from
the corporation tax. For the corre-
spending period last year the eXpendi-
lures exceeded the receipts by over
$40, 600 900. This showing indicates that
under the present customs laws the
deficit will be promptly wiped out,
and that to meet our normal eXpendi-
lures we shall have ample revenue.
/ therefore venture to repeat the re-
mark l have had occasion to make
before, that the present customs law
is the best customs law that has ever
been passed, and it is most significant
in this that it indicates on the part of
the Republican party the adoption of
a policy to change from an increase
in duties to a reduction of them and
to effect an increase of revenues at
the same time. The act has furnished
to the executive the power to apply
the maximum and minimum clauses
in order to prevent undue discrimina-
tion on the part of foreign countries,
and this is securing additional con-
cessions in respect to the impositions
on our foreign trade.
This act has done justice to the
Philippine islands by giving them free
trade with the United States.
More than all this, the new tariff
act has provided for the appointment
Of a tariff board to obtain impartial