Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-08-23
THE COTTON VETO.

Washington. Aug 22.-Presideut
Tafttr message yetoing the cotton bill
was read in the House at 2.02 p, NJ. As
i'll the case OF the wool and free list
bills. the President based his objections
to the cotton bill largely upon the
fact that the Tariff Board had not yet
had time to submit a report on the
schedule. He also declared that the
cation hill was adopted without any
investigation CT information of sat
isfactory character as to its effect up
on the cotton industry.
The President objected especially to
the attempt by Congress to add a re-
vision Of the iron and steel and chem
ieal schedules to the cotton bill as
amendments.
Il find he said, that there was
practically no consideration of either
schadule by any committee of either
house. There were no facts present
ed to either Hous in which I can fnd
material upon which to form any
fudemcnt as to the effect of amend
ments upon American industries or up
on the revenues of the government"
Briefly reviewing the manner in
which the iron and steel and chemical
amendments We're added to the bill.
the President said:
II cannot make myself a party to
dealing with the industries of the coun-
try in this way he industries covered
by metals and the manufacture OF
metals are the largest in the country
and it would seem not only wise but
absolutely essential to acquire accurate
information as u the effect of changes
which may vitally affect these indus
tries before enacting them into law"
Speaking Of the cotton industry, the
President said the capital invested in
1909 amounted to 1921 100000; the
value of the product to $629, ,000,0 600, the
number of wage earners to $4,000,
making, with dependents a total of at
least 100000 per sons affected, with
annual wages of $146,000,000. The bill
would not have gone into effect until
Jan. l next and Mr.. Taft said the tar
if board would be ready with a re-
port before that time. Investigation
by the House ways and means COM
mittee Mr.. Taft said. was purely for
the purpose of preparing a bill on O
tariff for revenue basis.
pledged to support policy of mod
crate protection" he added, Il cannot
approve a measure which violates this
principle
The President denounced the bill as
'emperical and haphazard."
This. he declared, was especially true
of the chemical schedule which had
been revised i'm such way as to in
crease the tax on certain chemicals in
stead of reducing them
These" said the President, are
some of the typical inconsistencies and
instances of haste in preparation and
of the error of calculation in the pro-
posed sweeping horizontal reduction OF
a most important schedule in the tar
| iff."
After citing a number OF increases
made in the chemical schedule, the
President continued: But the most
remarkable feature of this amendment
| to the chemical schedule remainh to be
stated. The internal revenues of this
country TO the extent of $160, 900, 900
are dependent on the imposition of a
tax of S120 a gallon on distilled spir-
its II has been necessary in all GUS
toms legislation TO protect the inter
nal revenue system against the intro
ducton from foreign countries of al
cohol III any form and in association
with any other article except upon the
payment of such a customs duty as
shall make it Improbable to import
the alcohol into this country to be used
in competition with alcohol or distilled
spirits of domestic manufacture.
"Upder the present bill all these
preca utions against the undue intro
ductiGn of foreign alcohol in articles
and compounds included in the chem
ical schedule are in fact abolished by
striking out the specific duties pei
pound.
II need hardly dwell on the disas-
trous effect such an amendment in
reference to alcoholic compounds
would have upon the internal revenue
system of taxing distilled spirits nor
need / point out the opportunities OF
evasion and fraud thus presented. OF
course the change was not intended
but If this bill became law. it would
| be made.