Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-27
MONEY GOING FAST
Tariff Board Running Out of
Funds for Expenses.
NAY LIMIT INVESTIGATION
Probably Will Not Get Beyond Wool
and Cotton Schedules.
FACT IS MADE PUBLIC TODAY
Not Likely to Get Additional Appro-
priation From Present Con-
gress to Carry on Work.
MAY LIMIT INVESTIGATION
FACT IS MADE PUBLIC TODAY

1t became known today that the tariff
board organized for obtaininp, the scisn-
tific data upon which the President pro-
poses to reduce the customs duties as
Stunning that the board finds that duties
can be reduced, is running short of
funds and may not have more than
enough money to complete full investi-
cation and report of two schedules of
the existing tariff law. These schedules.
however, are of vast Importance. being
those dealing with wool and cotton.
Congress appropriated for the expenses
of the board for the present fiscal year,
ending June N next. S2250oo. and au-
thorized the use of the unexpended bal
ance from the last fiscal year, close to
$4,000. giving'a total of nearly S275.O90
for the important work in hand
President Taft's Promise.
In his veto of the wool and cotton bills
President Taft promised Congress that he
would be able to present to that body
at the coming session of Congress valu-
able data, scientifically secured. upon
which revision could be made not only
with safety to the manufacturing and
with benefit to the masses of the people.
This data is intended to show the diff
ference in cost of production of given
articles abroad and at home. the object
of the President being to establish the
duties upon these articles at figure
that will protect the American manufac-
turer and labOrer against the cheap labor
OF foreign countries. but at the same time
will remove the excessive protection it is
IN thxa dxatv~ ArNt 80
the American consumer.
May Have to Curtail Work.
1t had been the purpose of the board
and the President to complete the reports
upon wool and cotton by the beginning OF
the session. and then hasten the work
upon the steel. iron and iron ore schedule
SO that Congress would have that also
in time to act before adjournment next
year
1t now looks as If the board will not
have the money to finish the steel and
iron Investigations and make a report sc
that Congress can act, II 1t should have
the slightest desire to act upon that re-
port. BY reason of the steadily decreas-
ing supply of money the board has de-
cided to concentrate it's work upon wool
and cotton. partly setting aside the other
investigation until it is ascertained what
money will be left. 1t Is already known
that the amount will be comparatively
small. and it is certain that there will be
no funds for going into other schedules
in a complete way.
The board is now spending $4,000 a
month in its work. having a large num-
Der of men in the field, whose salaries
and expenses. together with those Of the
board members and the clerks, have to
be paid out of the allotted sum.
Limit to Tariff Legislation.
If President Taft should persist I'm ve-
toing all tariff bills of the next session
of Congress except those based upon tar
if board reports, the situation Is such as
to limit tariff legislation next winter to
wool and cotton. nothing else having a
chance 1t Is now understood that Presi-
dent Taft will confine his energies to at
tempting to force revision in these two
schedules and that he would not consent
to placing before Congress partially COM
pleted reports on other schedules. His
arguments have been that the democratic
and insurgent revision at the last Con-
greSS was gueSSwork, pure and simple,
and the same would be true of revision
based upon partial reports by the tariff
board. Consequently the big fight will
be over wool and cotton, with the Presi-
dent standing ready to veto all other
bills and forcing revision in these two
schedules only.
The democratic House will not give the
tariff board any money for the fiscal year
beginning July 1. 1872 and 1t will prob
ably never get another penny unless
the voters in November of next year re-
elect President Taft and show their APP
prevail of his proposition for tariff re-
vision following the possession of data
secured in an alleged scientific manner
If the democrats win in the presidential
fight they are likely to carry on tariff
revision by the old system through the
ways and means and finance committees
of House and Senate. respectively.