Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-08

each department chief 10 reduce the
estimated cost of his department for
the ensuing fiscal year ending June
30, 1912. l say this in order that con-
gress may understand that these esti-
mates thus made present the smallest
sum which will maintain the depart
ments, bureaus and offices of the gov
eminent and meet its other obliga-
tons under existing law, and that a
cut Of these estimates would result
in embarrassing the executive branch
of the government in the performance
OF its duties. This remark does not
apply to the river and harbor esti-
mates, except to those for expenses of
maintenance and the meeting of obIi-
cations under authorized contracts,
nor does it apply to the public baild-
Ing bill nor to the navy building pro-
gram. OF course, as to these con-
gress could withhold any part or all
of the estimates for them without in
terfering with the discharge of the or
binary obligations of these functions
Of its departments, bureaus and Of
fees.
THE final estimates for the year
ending June 80, 1912, as they have
been sent to the treasury on Novem-
Der % of this year, for the ordinary
expenses of the government, including
those for public buildings, rivers and
harbors, and the navy building pro-
gram, amount to 630,494,0 13.12. This
is S52 ,887.36 less than the ap-
preparations for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1911. 1t is $16,883153.44
less than the total estimates, incIud-
ing supplemental estimates submitted
to congress by the treasury for the
year 1911, and is $5,574, $3.50 less
than the original estimates submitted
/ by the treasury for 1911.
These fiugres do not include the
appropriations for the Panama canal,
the policy in respect to which ought
to be, and is, to spend as much each
year as can be economically and eff
fectively expended in order to COM
plete the canal as promptly as posi-
bic, and therefore, the ordinary mo-
tive for cutting down the expense of
the government does not apply to ap-
preparations for this purpose.
Against the estimates of expendi-
lures, $640,494, 013.12, we have estimat-
ed receipts for next year $3.50, 600, 900.
making a probable surplus of ordinary
receipts over ordinary expenditures of
about $5O,OO0,O00, or taking into &C.
count the estimates for the Panama
canal, which are $56,92O,847.69, and
which will ultimately be paid in bonds,
1t will leave deficit for the next
year of about $7,OOOOO0, if congress
shall conclude to fortify the canal"
The Tariff.
The President devotes but little
space to the subject of the tariff law.
and of it he says:
The schedules of the rates of duty
in the Payne tariff act have been sub
Jected to a great deal of criticism.
some OF 1t just, more of it unfounded.
and to much Misrepresentation. The
act was adopted in pursuance of a
declaration by the party which is re-
sponsible for it that customs bill
should be a tariff for the protection
or home industries, the measure of
the protection to be the difference be-
tween the cost of producing the i'm.
ported article abroad end the cost of
producing it at home together with
such addition to that difference as
might give reasonable profit to the
home producer. The basis for the
criticism Of this tariff is that in re-
spect to number of the schedules
the declared measure was not follow
ed, but higher difference retained or
inserted by way of undue discrimina-
ton in favor of certain industries and
manufactures. Little, if any, of the
criticism of the tariff has been direct
ed against the protective principle
above stated; but the main body of
the criticism has been based on the
attempt to conform to the measure of
protection was not honestly and sin.
cerely adhered to-"
The Tariff Board.
The president refers to the appoint.
ment of board of experts to inyesti.
gate the cost of production of various
articles included in the schedules of
the tariff, and says:
THE tariff board thus appointed
and authorized has been diligent in
preparing itself for the necessary in
vestigations The hope of those who
/ have advocated the use of this board
for tariff purposes is that the question
/ of the rate of a duty imposed shall
become more of business question
and less OF a political question. to be
/ ascertained by experts of long train
/ ing and accurate knowledge. The
halt in business and the shock to busi-