The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-23
MIR. Taft Vetoes Measure Be-
cause He Is Uncer-
tain as to It's
Effect.
WANTS INFORMATION
FROM TARIFF BOARD
Says Revenue Legislation
Should Not Be Enacted
Without Accurate
Data

TAY ASHINGTON, Aug. 22,-Pres
NM ident Taft's message vetoini
Wv the cotton bill was read in the
house at 2:02 p. m. AS in the
case Of the wool and FREQ list bills
the president based his objection tt
the cotton bill largely upon the fact
that the tariff board had not as yet
had time 10 submit report on the
schedule He also declared that the
cotton bill was adopted without any
investigation or information Of sat
isfactory character as to it's effect on
the cotton industry The president OBJ
jected especially to the attempt by con
gYess to add revision of the iron and
steel and chemical schedules to the
cotton bill as amendments.
"I find" he said, 'thnt there was
practically no consideration of either
house. There were no facts presented
to either house in which I can find
material on which 10 form any iudg-
mcnt as TO the effect of the amend
ments, either on American industries or
upon the revenues of the government.
Briefly reviewing the manner in
which the iron and steel and chemical
amendments were added to the bill, the
president said:
Wants Information.
~ cannot make myself party 20
dealing with the industries of the eoun-
try in this way. The industries COW
cred by metals and the manufacture of
metals are the largest in the country,
and il would seem not only wise. but
absolutely essential. to acquire accurate
information as to the effect of changes
which NAV vitally affect these indus
tries before enacting them into laws. -
The bill would not have gone into eff
feet until January next, and Mr.. Taft
said the tariff board would be ready
with a report by that time.
Pledged to support policy of
moderate protection be added, ~
cannot npprovo measure which vid-
lates it's principle, -
The president denounced the bill as
empirical and haphazard ' This, he
declared, was especially true of the
chemical schedule. which had been re-
vised in such way as to increase the
tax on certain chemicals instead of re.
dueine them.
"These.' said the president, "are
some OF the typical inconsistencies aud
instances of haste in preparation and
Of the error Of calculation in the pro.
posed sweeping horizontal reduction of
a most important schedule in the tar
AS to Alcohol.
After citing number of instances
m hn oh Ar1e ha
president continued "But the most re-
markable feature of this amendment to
the chemical schedule remains to be
stated The internal revenues of this
country to the extent of $3.50, ,000, 900
are dependent on the imposition of q
tax of i,20 gallon on distilled spirits
II has been necessary in all customs
legislation to protect the internal reve.
nue. system against the introduction
from foreign countries Of alcohol in
any form and in association with any
other article except On the payment Of
customs duty as shall make it unpref-
liable 10 import the alcohol into this
country to be used in competition with
alcohol or distilled spirits of domestic
manufacture. Under the present bill
all these precautions against the undue
introduct1op OF foreign alcohol in ar
tlcles included in the chemical schedule
are in fact abolished by striking out the
specific duties per pound.
81 need hardly dwell on the disas-
troue effect such an amendment in ref.
erence 10 alcoholic compounds would
have on the internal revenue system
Of taxing distilled spirits. nor need I
point out the opportunities of evasion
and fraud thus presented. Thus, of
course, the change was not intended.
bat If this bill became law. il would
be made,
Seeks a Basis.
This bill thus illustrates and en-
forces the views which ! bave already
expressed In vctoing the wool bill and
the so-called free list bill, as 10 the
paramount importance of securing
through the investigation and reports
of the tariff board. definite and Ger.
tain basis Of sscertained fact for the
consideration of tariff laws. Very like.
j" some of The changes in this bill
VIII prove to be desirable and some TO
he undesirable So far as they turn
OCT 10 be Just and reasonable Y shall
he glad to approve Of them, but at pres
cot the PROPOSED legislation appears to
be all matter OF guesswork The i'm
portant thing is 10 get our tariff Iegisla.
tion out of the slough of guesswork and
oCrclliDg aud ex parte statements of
interested persons and to establish that
legislation on the basis of tested and
determined facts TO which shall be an.
nlied, fairly and openly. whatever tar
IF principle the people of the country
choose 10 adopt.
Session Cost Little,
WAsHlNGToN. Aug. 2..-Chairman n
iat l<.,.,