Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-12-23
TAFT ON WOOL
Gall For Reduction on
Tariff Duties.
SAYS SOME ARE PROHIBITIvE
Basing Special Message on Tariff
Board Report President Urges
That Revision be Proceeded
With at Once.

Washington, Dec. zl.-With the re-
port OF the tariff board ON the wool
schedule made to the president, and
this report and special message sent
by the president to congress, the
gates OF tariff trouble for the present
session are opened wide. From nov
on until next summer the tariff will
be the great bone OF contention in
house and senate.
The boards report shows, and the
presidents message emphasizes that
the existing duties ON many classes
OF wool and wool manufactures, par
ticulsriy on lower grades and the I'M
secured raw material, and on the high
er grades OF the finished product are
prohibitory and greatly in excess OF
the difference in the cost Of produc-
tion here and abroad.
The duties are SO arranged, the mes
sage sets forth, as to keep out of the
United States entirely woods OF fine
qualities which, if imported, might 10
used to displace the cheap substitutes
now employed.
the cost OF wool growing, OF manufac-
turing and of buildings plants is much
higher in this country than in the
chief competitor of the United States,
and that this is not offset in this par
ticular industry by any superiority or
greater efficiency of the American la
Dor. The cost of turning wool into
yarn and yarn into cloth, the message
sets forth, is nearly twice as great in
the United States as abroad, and that,
with the higher wages of labor, forms
a handicap that has been overcome by
the protective principle, resulting in
the building up of great industry in
volving the welfare oil hundreds Of
thousands of people.
The president points out that the
full duty is not added to the price in
the United States, and that much OF
the so-called Compensatory duty Is
greatly excessive, competition here
keeping the prices far below those in
dicated in the tariff schedules.
In recommending revision and
reduction" says the president, 81
therefore urge that action be taken
with these facts In mind, to the end
that an important and established in
dustry may not be jeopardized."
He closes his message with this rec
ommendation:
"The findings Of fact by the board
show ample reason for the revision
downward of schedule X, in accord
with the protective principle, and pre-
sent the data as to relative costs and
prices from which may be determined
what rates will fairly equalize the diff
ference in production costs. | recon-
mend that such revision be proceeded
with at once
The report of the board, says the
message, is unanimous, despite the
fact that it comprises three Republi-
cans and two Democrats. The board
itself makes no recommendation ami
the president recommends no specific
rates,
Mir. TAFT characterizes the report OF
the tarin board as the most comp eta
and exhaustive statement of diMcd.t
and complicated subject ever present
ed to q legislative body. lie declare
it q monument to the tLorouguues
industry, impartial and accuracy OF
the men engaged in its making. no
asserts the belief that it will convince
all OF the wisdom of making the tariff
board permanent.
The tariff boards report struck
rough water as soon as it reached the
Democratic house, At the close OF the
reading OF the presidents message,
which was greeted with applause by
the Democrats, an attempt was made
to have the report referred to the
ways and means committee without
printing.
Republican leaders demanded that
the whole report be printed at once.
In the absence of the Democratic lead
er, Mr.. Underwood, Representative
Ransdell, of Texas, said the ways and
means committee wanted first to de-
termine what should be printed.
MoroS Are RiSind in phiIinninas