New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-21
TAFT'S VETO JUSTIFIED
Contipucd from frst psEe.

bill which was passed at the extra Sos
sion. The Finance Committee will take
M the subject Immediately after tho
holidays. but whether il will be possible
to bring the Democratic House 10 the
acceptance of such bill AS We might
formulate / cannot undertake ia say.
believe the report Of the Tariff Board
does not indicate that the present wool
duties arc very much too high"
The point Of view Of the wool grower
was expressed by Senator Warren. him
self largo wool grover. He said
1t .is understood that. the President. al
though not az literally inclined in his
mesa 20 as tho wool growers had hoped
he might be, expects. and would probably
favor, upon tho showing made by the
Tariff Board. legislation providing FOR T.
duty Of st least 20 cents A pound on 4
secured basis for nrst and second class
wools with close government supervision.
and tho sampliug and testing or every
package Of wool imported. to determine
the shrinkage. this test 10 be made 10y
government employees IN government estab-
lishments. This supervision, with the elm
nation of the sKirting clause, under Whlch
foreign growers have benefited AT our eX-
pense would he an Improvement in mat
respect upon present methods. Although r.
rate OF. saw. % cents a pound on the
secured product Is seemingly a reduction
Of about 60 per cent yet. considering mat
American wool has an average hrinkaGe
Of Sc per cent and that foreign wool. such
as has been imported. has an average
shrinkage of but 20 per cent; the II cents =.
pound duty on raw wool has really not
eivcn MS protective ratio Of over % TO p
cents pound on the secured product
The actual reduction. therefore. II duty
or saw. % cents pound should he i'm
ho oh "A FpOtg a
pound on tho secured product.
or course. the woollen manufactures
must also he adequately protected to MAKE
the above rates fully available and protec-
tive A proportionate rate on third class
woods would be favored by the President
Senator Bristow, who took a promi-
nent part in the combination Of Insur-
gent Senators and Democrats that forced
tariff reduction bills through the Senate
at the extra session, declared that il the
President had signed the La Toilette
wool bill last summer he would have cor
rected every abuse OF which he COM
planned and have preserved ample pro-
tective duties for every American in
dustry. The Progressive Republicans
he said, would support the same tariff
revision this session.
Senator Martin, of Virginia. the DEM
ocratic leader. said he still favored lower
duties on wool, Something like the
Underwood bill" Senator Dippitt, Of
Rhode Island, successor to ex-senator
Aldrich, said the report proved that
duties on some classes of fabrics Can
we'll be reduced without injury to Ameri-
can industry"
Greeted with Cheers in House.
Greeted with prolonged applause from the
Republican side OF the chamber. the mes
sage Of President Taft reached the House,
and a wrangle Immediately began over the
printing of the complete report OF the
Tariff Board. Minority members insisted
that the full report Of the board should ne
sent Immediately 10 the Public Printer.
Members of the Democratic Ways and
Means Committee were just as insistent
that the data should go TO that committee.
80 that we may see what is printable.
The matter finally went over until to-mor-
row.
Republican members of the House, IN
Guiding the Insurgents, are well pleased
with the Presidents message.
The House Democrats also express will
ingness TO cooperate in the reduction OF
the duties. although they naturally say
that the message Of the President bears
out the Democratic view that the tariff
should have been revised at the last ses-
sion The majority members, however. do
Lot dwell on tho fact that the revision
ATTEMPTED by the Democrats was along
unscientnc lines and that the President
has insisted all along that the revision
should proceed in an orderly and system
had been received.
Chairman Underwoods Views.
Chairman Underwood OF the Ways and
Means Committee says that he has no
doubt tho Ways and Means Committee will
agree with the President as 10 the neces-
sity for reduction of the rates on wool.
He indicates. however. that the committee
will again attempt TO place an ad valorem
duty on raw wool. which, he says, will
make il unnecessary for us 10 go into tho
question OF the rates on secured wool as
suggested by the President" Mr.. Under
wood says he has not had time 10 examine
the facts gathered by the Tariff Board, but
he promises that these facts will be taken
into consideration when the Ways and
Means Committee comes 10 frame a bill
Mr.. Underwood said:
The President I'm his message favors rlac-
ing a specific duty on secured wool As a
basis for importation of raw wool instead
Of placing duty on raw wool and then
increasing the duty on secured wool II
81 g,,1 aAA
for raw WOO there might be much in tho
Presidents argument. but | have no doubt
the committee viii exact an ad valorem In
stead Of a specific duty.
The President advocates ad Valoren duty
on manufactured wool In the bill passed
this year Al the special session the rates
we're ad valorem based On import vslua-
lions. In Contradistinction 10 the compound.
specific ana ad valorem rates now exscted
i'm the PANE ldrich Law. The President
saws the present duties on wool and woollen
manufactures in many instances are pro
bihi,fye I have no doubt the WAYS and
Means Committee win agree with him as TO
the necessity of a reduction. The measure
clearly i,ietlhes the Democratic members
IN passing the wool bill last year that the
President vetoed.
"If Congress will heed tho President"
said Representative Crumpacker, of In
diana. there will he safe sane and just
revision Of the wool schedule, and that
means 2 substantial reduction
u think II is a very good message Rep
resentative Dalzell. one Of the "standpat'
members Of the House, said. 1T explains
the existing situation II shows the rea-
son WIN II is NECESSARY TO have wool legis-
lstion other than that proposed by the
Democrats AZ the last session Of Congress.
The Presidents statement that. taking All
varieties OF wool into account, the aver
axe cost Of production OF wool in America
is higher than Il is abroad IS significant.
This applies to raw wool as well as to
manufactured. A. ia manufactures the
report Of the board appears 10 show that
the actual machinery cost and labor are
higher jn this country than abroad. This
co.., 70 shou, that the figures of the Tariff