Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-09-09
TAFT GIVES VIEWS ON
THE YEARS CAMPAIGN

mission SHOWS that the present tariff Is
wrong and should be changed, I expect tc
bring the matter to the attention OF the
congress with a view to its amendment
OF the tariff In that particular. OF course,
TINS VIII be impracticable unless congress
itself SHAH adopt the parliamentary rule,
as L hope 1t will, that a bill to amend one
schedule of the tariff may not be subject
to a motion to amend by adding changes
1t will thus be possible to AXE UP a
single, schedule with respect to which 1t
Is probable that a great majority Of each
house will be unprejudiced, to admit the
evidence, and TO reach a fair conclusion
and this. method will tend to avoid dis
turblng business conditions. For these
licans-conservative, progressive and rad
ical-may well abide the situation with
respect to the tariff until evidence now
being accumulated shall justify changes
in the rates: and that 1t is much better
Tor them to vote for republicans than to
help, create a democratic majority which
would be utterly at war with the protect
I've principle, and therefore would have no
use for the findings of the tariff commits
sion; as we may certainly infer from the
solid democratic vote In the present con-
gress against the necessary appropriation
for the commission's work.
Results of Payne Law.
One great virtue In the new tariff law,
including the corporation tax, is, that
taken with the current effort of the ad-
ministratton, to keep down or reduce gov
ernmental expenditures and to reform the
methods of collecting the customs reve-
nue., 1t has, by It's revenue producing ca
paclty. turned q deficit In the ordinary
operations Of the government of $5S, 900, 900
Tor the year ending Tune 80, 1909, to a
surplus In the first full year of the law,
ending August 8, 1910, OF $26, 600, 900. From
a revenue standpoint, then, there can be
no controversy over the effectiveness of
the new law. Increased revenue indicates
t nnr imnort IMPORTS 6S9v and r an e~xamin ate OF
close a most substantial increase in man
ufacturers' material, from which, in the
making of finished products, whether for
expectation or home consumption, has
come a larger volume Of employment for
our wage, e%arners, a larger purchasing
power a greater consumption of the
products Of our farms and fabrications Of
our factories. So far, then, as such i'm
portations do not displace home produc-
ton, they must be Of benefit to ali. Gen
orally speaking, a full measure Of indus-
trial activity in production, transporta-
ton and distribution has accompanied the
operation OF the new law. Under the
maximum and minimum provisions we
have concluded treaties with all foreign
nations, gaining the best possible terms
for entrance to their markets without
law we have at last done justice to the
Philippines by allowing he producers Of
those Islands the benefits of our markets
with such limitations as to prevent injury
70 our home industries.
Again, the present law in it's corpora
ton tax imposes a new kline Of tax which
| q Ildly VI liz IlSIILS IL dn ilCOIle ak.
1t taxes success, not failure. Unlike a
personal income tax, II is easily and ex-
actly collected, and by an increase or de-
crease In the rate enables congress with
exactness to regulate It's income to it's
necessary expenditures. More thar this,
1t furnishes an indirect but effective
v.sed as to the kind of business done by
all corporations. 1t Is one OF the most
useful and important changes In our rev.
enue laws. as the future will show. In
4 SDitP of the criticisms haqnad nnAn II or
Its passage. no party responsible for rev.
enues or anxious to retain every means
of legitimate supervision of corporations
VIII repeal It.
Interstate Commerce.
The next most important work of the
present congress was the passage Of the
amendment to the interstate
bin. The republican platform favored
amendment to the interstate
act with a view to giving greater power
TO the Interstate Commerce commission
in regulating the operation of railroads
and the ixing Of traffic rates, and also
favored such rs.ional legislation and SUI
perVision as would prevent the future
over-issue of stocks and bonds by inter-
state carriers. After the adjournment OF
the congress at Its extra session | invited
swo Of my cabinet and a membe of the
Interstate Commerce commission and a
member of congress to make recommen-
dationS as to the needed amendments to
the interstate act. These gen.
tlemen reported to me, and in September
last, in a speech in Des Moines, / fore
| Swallowed their recommendations as !
intended to make them to the congress
for the amendment Of the interstate COM
merCe act.
First, by the establishment Of a com
merce court; second, by empowering the
commission to classify merchandise as
we'll as to fix rates for classes; third, by
giving the right 20 q shipper to designate
transported beyond the line Of the initial
carrier: fourth, by empowering the com
mission to consider the justice or injus-
tice of any rate without the complaint or
initiation OF a shipper; fifth, by empower
Ing the commission to suspend proposed
increases Of rates by carriers until the
upon the reasonableness of the increase;
sixth, by provisions for the federal regu-
lation Of the issue Of stocks and bonds
by interstate railways; seventh, by a
clause forbidding an interstate commerce
railway company from acquiring stock in
a er g0miRiet,nf he roa mak Glght N P4af z section action
ments etwee competing railroads limit
ed in point Of time and subject matter,
and subject to the approval of the Inter
state Commerce commission.
These amendments were in accordance
with the text of the republican platform.
Subsequently, bills were drawn embody-
ing this recommended legislation, In
which, while the principle was main
tanned. there were limitations introduced,
as justice suggested, after a conference
with all the parties interested. The bill
was submitted to the congress and after
a great deal OF discussion both in the
House and the Senate, It was enacted
into law, with many amendments which
did not materially change the effect of
the recommendations except to strike out
certain provisions promised in the repub-
lican platform, TO permit rattle agree
/ ments between railways in spite of the
antitrust law, to forbid one railway COM
pany to acquire stock in a competing
| company, and TO secure supervision b.
the Interstate Commerce commission of
the Issue of stocks and bonds by inter-
| state railways.
For this last was substituted a provi-
sion authorizing the appointment OF a
commission to consider the evils arising
| from the overissue of stocks and bonds.
| and the methods OF preventing such evils
by congressional regulation. In addition
to the purposes already fecited accom-
plished by the bill, the so-called long and
short haul CLAUSE of the existing law
the one forbldding the charging of a
greater rate for a less distance Included
In the greater distance, than for the
greater distance-was amended so as to
vest In the commission somewhat wider
| discretion In enforcing the clause thar
has been permitted by the supreme cour
decisions under existing law. Moreover,
interstate telegraphs and telephones, as
instruments of commerce.. have been
brought within the regulation of the COM
mission. The bill as at present i'm force
is an excellent bill. 1t is not enacted in