The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-12-09

eoIllldleu Cost Vi MS department Tor
the ensuing fiscal year ending June
| so, 1912. | 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
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 obli-
cations under authorized contracts,
nor Goes 1t apply to the public build
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 20 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 s63O,494,O1 This
is $52,964,SS736 less than the ap.
propriations for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1911. 1t is $16,SS3, 1894
less than the total estimates, includ.
ing supplemental estimates submitted
to congress by the treasury for the
year 1911, and is s5,574,659.39 less
than the original estimates submitted
by the treasury for 1917.
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-.
Bile, 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, $64O,4s4,013.12, we have estimat,
ed receipts for next year $3.50, OOO, 900
making probable surplus Of ordinary
receipts over ordinary expenditures OF
about $5O,OO0000, or taking into &C
count the estimates for the Panama
canal, which are s56, e2O,S47.6s, and
which will ultimately be paid in bonds
1t will leave deficit for the next
year of about 100000, 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 1t he says:
THE schedules of the rates of duty
in the Payne tariff act have been sub
Jected to great deal of criticism
some Of 1t just, more of 1t unfounded
and to much Misrepresentation. The
act was adopted in pursuance of 6
declaration by the party which Is re
sponsible for 1t that customs bill
should be tariff for the protection
Of home industries, the measure O
the protection to be the difference be
tween the cost of producing the i'm
ported article abroad and the cost o
producing it at home, together Will
such addition to that difference a.
might give reasonable profit to tn,
home producer. The basis for tn
criticism of this tariff is that in re
spect to number of the schedule
the declared measure was not follow
ed, but higher difference retained O
inserted by way of undue discrimina
ton in favor of certain industries an
manufactures. Little, If any, of tn
criticism of the tariff has been direct
ed against the protective principl
above stated; but the main body c
the criticism has been based on tn
attempt to conform to the measure c
t protection was not honestly and sir
t cerely adhered to-"
The Tariff Board.
The president refers to the .appoin
ment OF board of experts to invest
gate the cost Of production Of variou
articles included In the schedules
the tariff, and says:
1.-THE tariff board thus appointe
and authorized has been diligent
: preparing itself for the necessary il
vestigations. The hope of those VIII
have advocated the use of this boar
3 for tariff purposes Is that the questio
I Of the rate of a duty imposed sha
t become more of business questio
r and less Of political question, to
3 ascertained by experts Of long trail
ing and accurate knowledge. Th