New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-19

among the absentees, so 1t Would nave
been impossible in any circumstances
for the Democrats to have overcome the
veto had every member of the House
been In attendance
The Presidents Veto.
In his message vetoing the Farmers
Free List bill President Taft. after an
extended review of the measure, de-
clares that the same reasons which I'M
PEELED me to decline to sign the wool Dill
control me In this case" The President
summarizes his objections to the bill IN
these terms:
First, because It should not be con-
sidered until the Tariff Board shall make
report upon the schedules it affects; Sec
ond, because the bill is so loosely drawn
al to involve the government In endless
litigation and to leave the commercial
community I'm disastrous doubt; tniro'
because II places the finished product on
the free list but retains on the dutiapie
list the raw material and the machinery
WIFI WHICH SuCl IIiiSHN'
made, and thus puts at needless dis
advantage our American manufacturers
and fourth. that while purporting. by
putting agricultural implements, meat
and -four on the free list, to reduce their
price to the consumers. IL does not DO So
but only gives to Canada valuable con-
cessions which might be used by the FIX
ecutive 10 expand reciprocity with tnat
country in accordance with the direction
Of Congress"
Having expressed at length m MS
message vetoing the wool bill. his con-
yiction that tariff legislation should
await the report OF the Tariff Board, the
President in to-day's message passes at
once to a consideration OF the manner
In which the free list bill is drawn, and
finds that ut would inevitably Iead 10
the greatest uncertainty imposing
heavy burden on the administrative
branch of government" IN addition 70
creating disastrous uncertainty IN com
mercial circles and "burdensome
amount Of litigation
These considerations led him to the
conclusion that the bill while apparent
" very simple and affecting only rev
articles. Is in reality SO loose IN us
phraseology that II would anect nun
dreds Of items in the existing tarin act
conceding the wisdom OF its general
poI,cv. the paragraphs of the bin ought
"a he rewritten in definite and specific
terms"
Having reviewed the various clauses 10
the construction of which he objects, the
President says:
The truth ia that the language Is 80
ambiguous that IL Is impracticable TOT
tho Treasury Department TO give an eN-
act estimate q to the diminution in rev.
enue which will follow its passage.
The President finds that another effect
ne tho hill would be to break down al
together the classification upon Which
the arrangement In many OF the present
tariff schedules Is based While the
danger is not so much that the class or
users in whose favor the classification
nurnorts TO be made, will receive more
benefit than the trainers Of the law may
have Intended, II Is that many who do
not belong to the class intended to De
favored will import articles suitable for
the prescribed use under the genera
term, of the statute. but will use them
for other and general purposes which
leads Mr.. Taft to observe: III there were
no other reason for withholding my ap-
proval from the bill this one would be
all sufficient"
Tonight the Democratic members or
the Ways and Means Committee deter
mined TO end the long session On Mon
day the House will pass the cotton bill
as amended in the Senate. containing
the iron and steel. chemical and cotton
machinery schedules and the reciprocal
coal across the Canadian Dor
der provision. and will send 1t to the
President OIL Tuesday Congress VIII
not be held i'm session 10 await his veto.
which the House leaders concede Is GER |