Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-06
PRESIDENT TAFTS ANNUAL MESSAGE SENT TO THE CONGRE

It is hoped that more time will give OPP.
portunity for a more thorough reor-
ganization. The last public building bill
carried authorization for the ultimate
expenditure Of SIS. OH 800 and I approved
1t because OF the many good features ii
contained, Just al I approved the river
and harbor bill. but 1t was drawn upon a
principle that ought to be abandoned. II
seems to me that the wiser method OF
preparing a public building bill would be
the preparation Of a report by a commits
sion OF government experts whose duty
1t should be to report to Congress the
governments needs in the way of thu
construction of public buildings in every
part of the country, just as the army
engineers make reports with reference to
the utility of proposed improvements in
rivers and harbors, with the added func-
army engineers of including in their
recommendation the relative Importance
or the various projects found to be worthy
OF approval and execution.
The Tariff Revenues.
AS the Treasury Department is the one
through which the income of the govern
ment Is collected and its expenditures are
olsoursed, this seems a proper place to
consider the operation Of the existing
tarlH Dill. which became law August 6,
1909. As an income-producing measure,
the existing tariff bill has never been ex-
ceeded by any customs bill in the history
OF the country.
The corporation excise tax, proportioned
TO the net income Of every business COR
poration In the country, has worked we'll.
me tax has been easily collected. It's
prompt payment indicates that the Incl
oence or the tax has not been heavy. 1t
oners. moreover, an opportunity for
knowledge by the government Of the gen.
eral condition and business of all corpora
lions. and that means by far the most
important part Of the business OF the
country. In the original act provision was
made for the publication OF returns. This
provision was subsequently amended by
Congress. and the matter left to the regu-
latfon Of the President. l have directed
the issue Of the needed regulations, and
have made 1t possible for the public gen.
orally to know from an examination of
the record the returns of all corpora.
tons. the stock Of which is listed on any
public stock exchange or is offered for
ment or otherwise. The returns Of those
corporations whose stock is not so listed
or offered for sale are directed to be open
to the inspection and examination of
creditors and stockholders of the corpora
ton whose record is sought. The returns
Of all corporations are subject to the in
spection Of any government officer or to
the examination of any court. in which
the return made by the corporation is
relevant and competent evidence.
The Payne Tariff Act.
The schedules Of the rates Of duty in
the Payne tariff act have been subjected
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 responsible for 1T that a
customs bill should be q tariff for the
protection Of home industries, the meas
ure Of the protection to be the difference
between the cost of producing the I'M
ported article abroad and the cost OF
it at home, together with such
addition to that difference as might give
a reasonable profit to the home producer.
The basis for the criticism Of this tariff
is that in respect to number OF the
schedules the declared measure was not
followed. but higher difference retained
or inserted by way of undue diScrim1na-
ton in favor of certain industries and
Little. IL any, Of the crit
icism of the tariff has been directed
against the protective principle above
stated, but the main body Of the criti-
cfsm has been based on the charge that
the attempt to conform to the measure
Of protection was not honestly and sin
cerely adhered to.
The Tariff Board.
The time in which the tariff was pre-
pared undoubtedly was SO short as to
make 1t impossible for the Congress and
its experts to acquire the information
necessary strictly to conform to the de-
clared measure. In order to avoid crit
icism of this kind in the future and for
the purpose Of more nearly conforming
to the party promise, Congress at It's
last session made provision at my re-
quest for the continuance Of a board
created under the authority of the maxi
mum and minimum clause of the tariff
bill, and authorized this board to ex-
pend the money appropriated under my
direction for the ascertainment of the
cost Of production at home and abroad
of the various articles included in the
schedules of the tariff. The tariff board
thus appointed and authorized has been
diligent In preparing itself for the nee
essary investigation. 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 be-
come more Of a business question and
less of a political question, to be ascer-
tanned by experts Of long training and
accurate knowledge. The halt In bust-
ness and the shock to business. que 20
the announcement that new tariff bill
is to be prepared and put in operation,
viii be avoided by treating the sched-
ules one by one as occasion shall arise
for a change In the rates of each. and
only after a report upon the schedule by
the tariff board competent to make such
report.
Report to New Congress.
It is not likely that the board "il be
able to make report during the present
session Of Congress on any of the sched-
ules, because a proper examination IN
wolves an enormous amount Of detail and
a great deal Of care: but I hope to be
able at the opening Of the new Congress.
or at least during the session Of that
Congress, to bring to it's attention the
facts in regard to those schedules in the
present tariff that may prove to need
amendment. The carrying out Of this
olan, Of course, involves the full co-opera-
ton Of Congress In limiting the con-
sideration In tariff matters to one sched-
ule at a time, because II q proposed
amendment to a ia. iff bill Is to involve
a complete consideration Of all the sched-
ules and another revision, then we shall
only repeat the evil from which the busi-
ness Of this country has in times past
suffered most grievously by stagnation
and uncertainty. pending reset;lement