Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-21

day passed the Underwood wool tariff re-
vision bill 221 to 100. number OF repub-
ican insurgents voting with the democrats
WASHINGTON, June 20-In n special
message to the house Of representatives to-
day Mr.. Taft stated that the tariff board
would not be ready to submit compre-
hensive report on wooden and cotton sched-
ules OF the tariff law until December next
The presidents message was called out
by house resolution requesting him 10
transmit at once all of the Information
procured by the tariff board relating to
wool and the manufacture of wool. Mr..
Taft included I'm his message a statement
from the tariff board as to the status ot
it's inquiry and also a statement by
committee Of the National Tariff Commis-
sion association which recently conducted
an investigation of the methods OF tho
tariff board. This report was highly COM
mandatory OF the boards work
Mr.. Taft's message found the house en-
gagged In final discussion of the Under
wood tariff revision bill. Immediately on
convening consideration of the measures
was begun under the rule limiting debate
to five minutes to each speaker.
President Taft said he transmitted the
house resolution to the board, which, in
reply. prepared a statement enclosed.
Available Figures Already In.
In this statement the board said that
statistics compiled by II from the latest
available foreign and domestic sources COW
ering the production, distribution and con-
sumption OF raw wool and wooden manufac-
turers had already been transmitted, on
request, TO the ways and means COMMITTEES
of the house and used by It. The board
declares It is conducting an inquiry which
involves original research work that is
world wide in scope A large amount OF
material has already been obtained.
This incomplete information" the board
says. necessarily Is fragmentary In char
acter and II transmitted to congress would
be not only of doubtful utility. but actually
misleading. We shall develop the essential
facts in relation to both the wool and
cotton schedules in time for forwarding
to congress next December, and in this
endeavor we are not only working to the
limit of the present appropriation, but to
the utmost capacity of our entire force"
No Further InfOrmntion Ready.
The president says in part:
This language and an examination Of
the detailed account OF what the board In
doing, contained therein will show that
they have no further information than that
which has already been transmitted to the
committee on ways and means in any
form or condition proper for transmission.
THE board of experts was first engaged
in assisting the executive in the discharge
of his duties under the maximum and
minimum clause OF the Payne tariff bill
Its attention was then directed to accumu-
lation of information for use in connection
with the reciprocity agreement made with
Canada and especially the comparative cost
of commodities in Canada and in the
United states, the price of labor and par
ticularly farm labor In the two countries
and the cost Of producing papers and wood
pulp on both sides of the boundary.
THE sundry civil appropriation act
OF last year provided that II a
tariff commission or board was estab-
lished, It should report on the wool
schedule by the first of December The
tariff commission bill was lost, but under
the discretionary power vested in me- I
appointed board as near like the one de-
scrbed in the bill which was lost as
possible-a non-partisan board OF five mem
bers-and l directed them to make the
examination into schedule, it's meaning and
the cost of production of wool and of
woolens in this country and abroad. and
to have their report ready by the first of
December
VIII BE Ready In December.
THE board OF experts reports to me that
they will have a full and complete re-
port on the subject OF schedule X and it's
contents, the cost Of production of wool
and woolens at home and abroad and also
upon the same facts in respect to the cot
ton schedule by the first Of December
next, when l shall be glad to submit both
to the congress
Meantime the board is not in a position
to transmit anything except what has
already been sent 10 the ways and means
committee.
In order that congress may more fully
| understand what the board OF experts is
| engaged in, / transmit in connection with
their statement report by a committee OF
the National Tariff Commission association
which applied TO me for permission 10 In
vestigate the methods OF procedure of the
board OF experts and the scope and pro-
gress Of the work.
Their Judgment is shown in the follow
! ing paragraph: