Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-19
WOOL TO Be ISSUE u. S. TAKING PART
Will Play Leading Role Pres In Concert With the Powers for
dential Campaign Peace in China.
TAFT MESSAGE IS READY MEETING AT SHANGHAI
Fight Will When Goes to Imperial Revolutionary Dele
Congress Tomorrow. gates Begin Negotiations
CALLS A REDUCTION MANCHU DYNASTY FALL
onnm a
public s or EN-
Basis
Will Play Leading Role in Pres
identiaI Campaign.
TAFT MESSAGE IS READY
Fight Will Start When Il Goes to
Congress Tomorrow.
CALLS FOR A REDUCTION
But President Does Not Commit HIM
self to Specific Rates-Board
Report a Basis.

Report Basis.
President Taft's wool message to Con-
gress will recommend to that body that
the duties in the wool schedule of the ex-
listing tariff law be lowered. without sug-
costing the rate at which the duties upon
the various items should be fixed.
The Presidents message will go to Con-
gress tomorrow with the report of the
tariff board. 1t is upon this report that
the President bases his recommendations
for lower duties, the conclusions Of the
board being to that effect
The wool message, a comparatively brief
one was completed at meeting Of the
cabinet this morning. The regular session
of the Presidents advisers was to have
been held at II o'clock. but as the Presi-
dent was to leave the city at 1890 the
cabinet members were called together at
10 o'clock spending most Of the time in
considering the wool message and making
suggestions as to alterations.
Opening of Campaign.
The message will precipitate the tariff
fight that really opens the presidential
campaign Of next year. In falling to rec
ommend specific rates Of duties the Pres
ident leaves his future course and action
open. He will be free to sign or veto any
bill passed by Congress, according to his
obstruction of the duties that will be
justified under the tariff board report.
1t is understood that the ways and
means committee of the House will pro-
with that Of the last session of Congress.
and the fight between the President and
the regular republicans on one hand and
the democrats on the other will occur
over the question whether the data Of the
tariff board warrant reductions Of duties
TO the point to be named by the democrats
in their bill.
President Taft stands ready to veto an
the conclusien from careful study Of the
figures and facts before him that this
bill does not AFFORD q fair protection to
the wool growers and manufacturers OF
the country. All he asks is that this pro.
lection represent the difference In the cost
of raising and manufacturing In the
United States and abroad. with fair prof
its to home people. and he win have his
own views as to what this difference VIII
he upon the various items In the bill that
will be PASSED. -.,-.. =. ~ >. !.
The debates In Congress are expected to
bring out sharp differences OF opinion as
TO what the duties should be. and these
will be watched with- interest By the
President. who will keep in touch with the
question from now on.
Republicans Plan Biu.
An offensive fight. fbr .arin revision on
the part of the Republicans in the House
will Immediately follow the presentation
to Congress Of the report Of the tariff
board on the wool schedule schedule K
as 1t is best known.
During the extra session last summer
the House republicans took only q neg
ative position when they opposed the
democratic tariff revision program. But
their attitude from now on VIII be quite
different, 1t Is said.
It became known today. on the author
ity OF one of the republican tariff ex-
merits and member Of the House ways
and means committee. that the House
republican leaders will begin the prepara-
ton Of a bill for the revision Of schedule
X Just as soon as the tarin board report
will fall largely on the shoulders OF the
republican members of the ways and
means committee-Representat Payne.
DaIzell Mccall. Hill. Needham, Fordney
The tariff board report does not fix the
rates of duties, but only fixes the exact
basis for those rates 1t Will show the
difference in the cost OF production or
wool and the products Of wool in the
United States and I'm the several foreign
countries where the industry is carried
on. This difference. the republicans claim,
shows the minimum duty which should be
imposed on foreign wool and woolens to
put both domestic and foreign goods on
the American markets on an equal foot
ing.
Advantage to Foreigners.
TO fix a duty at less than the difference
in the cost of production, the republicans
hold, will be to give the advantage to for
eign-made goods. And they will contend
that United States factories must close II
the foreign goods are given the advan-
tage. To fiz the duty higher than the
difference. the republicans will admit, will
be q wrong to consumers
Yet with the statistics OF the tariff
board II will be no easy matter for the
republicans of the House to frame a tariff
bill affecting the wool schedules. 1t 10
generally conceded that the difference in
different countries, that the difference be-
tween the United States and Australia
will be different than that between the
United States and Argentina. 1t will be
mine whether a classification of wool and
woolens shall be maintained, under which
the difference as between different coun-
tries can be maintained in the tariff
schedules, or general duties shall be fixed
on the basis of the average OF the DIFF
ferences IN the cost of production be-
tween the United States and all other
countries. And there are other problems
whether the duties shall be specific or
ad yalorem, and the like.
AZ soon as the bill is framed il will be
introduced in the House. probably by
Representative Payne. and then will be-
gin a fight by the republicans to pass il.
AS they are in the minority in the House.
they have practically no hope that 1t will
be accepted by enough of the democrats
20 insure its adoption by the House.
Some Basis OF Hope.
They claim to have some hope. how
ever. IT Is based. TO large extent, upon
the statement OF Majority Leader Under
wood at q recent dinner in New York, to
the effect. SO they quote him, that he
would accept a bill passed on the findings
of the tariff board if the rates were rea-
sonable.
But there is lot Of politics in the fight
10 be made by the republicans: and by the
F.. fight. several Of the republicans say. they
will lay the foundation for success In the
presidential and congressional campaign
of next summer and fall.
If the democrats will not accept their
bill based on the tariff boards figures,
they expect to be able to say to the
country:
The tariff board found the difference
i'm the cost of production at home and