The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-08-25
"eIEND OF AvowEp TsRIFF-FoR-
REVENUE AND PROTECTION
MEASURES"
BUT STILL INDEFENSIBLE
Says Act 10 Not in Harmony With
Platform on Which He Was
eieeted.-Promises Data By
December.

Washington, ID. &. - President
Taft, in special message to the house
OF representatives, Characterizing the
wool tariff bill as a blend of an avow.
ed tariff-for-revenue-Only and anti-pro.
lection measure with professed pro.
lection bill. vetoed the measure.
In explanation of his course Presi
dent Taft said the bill was not in har.
mony with the platform on which he
was elected. Furthermore. he declared
that the American people are deeply
impressed with the conviction that the
interest OF the consuming public can
be properly guarded only by revising
the tariff one schedule at time and
then upon accurate and scientifically
acquired information"
That there is a widespread belief
that many of the rates in the wool
schedule are too high and in excess
of any needed protection for the wool
grower and manufacturer is admitted
by President Taft and he says he
shares this belief. Asserting that De
cember was the time fixed by both the
anu btiltA DdflitS III
the last congress for the submission
Of adequate information upon schedule
X, covering wool and woolens, with
view to its amendment. the presi-
dent says there is no public exigency
requiring revision in August without
adequate information
After promising that the tariff board
will be ready to report in December,
the president argues that failure of
the present bill should not be regard.
ed. therefore, as taking away the only
chance for reduction by this congress.
The message will be accepted as an
indication that no tariff bill prepared
In advance Of report of the tariff
board upon schedules affected will be
signed by the president
The president reviewed the history
OF the movement for the establishment
of the tariff commission or board in
order to show that the real advance
and reform in tariffmaking are to be
found in the acquiring of accurate
changes under each schedule before
they are adopted. and further to show
that If delay in the passage of sched.
ule X can be had until December, con.
Gress will then DE in possession of a
full and satisfactory report upon the
schedule.
The business of the country rests
on protective tariff basis" he said
The public keenly realizes that a dis.
turbance of business by n change in
the tariff, and that a threat of injury
to the industries of the country. ought
to be avoided. and that nothing could
help so much To minimize the fear of
destructive changes as the known ex.
istenCe of a reliable source of infOrma.
tion for legislative action.
Schedule X is the most complicat.
ed schedule in the tariff. 1t Classics
raw wool with different rates for differ.
ent classes: II affords the manufactur.
or what Is called compensatory
duty to make up for the increased
price of the raw material he has to
use due to the rate on raw wool. and
for the shrinkagc that takes place in
securing the wool for manufacture;
anu ~ SAN'H num- duhltions
yalorem duty to protect him from for.
eign competition with cheap labor.
III there ever was schedule that
needed consideration and investiga.
ton and elaborate explanation by ex-
perts before its amendment. il is
schedule X. There is widespread
belief that many rates in the. present
schedule are too high and are in ex-
cess OF any needed protection for the
wool grower or manufacturer. ! share
this belief and have so stated in sew
eral public addresses.
But have not sufficient data upon
which ! can judge how schedule X
ought 10 be amended or how its rates
ought TO be reduced. in order that the
new bill shall furnish the proper
measure of protection and no more.
Nor have ! sources of information
which satisfy me that the bill pre-
scented TO me for signature will ac-
complish this result. Tht prelimin-
airy history OF the bill is not reassur.
ing upon this point. II was introduced
and passed in the house as providing
q. tarin for revenue only and with the
avowed purpose of departing from a
protective tariff policy.
1T may well be that conditions of
men in this country have changed so
as to require much less protection now
for the manufacturers than at the
time of the Wilson bill: but in view
of the possible wide suffering involved
by hasty action. based on insufficient
knowledge. the wise course. in my
Judgment. is to postpone any change
for a few months needed to complete
the pending inquiry.