The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-20


 they are much in excess of the differ ence in the cost of production here and abroad and that they should be reduced to a point which accords with this principle.
 .'The findings of the board show that, in this industry, the actual man. ufacturing cost, aside from the Ques- tion of the price of materials, is much higher in this country than 1t Is abroad, that in the making of yarn and cloth and domestic wool for wor- sted manufacture has in general nO advantage in the form of superior ma chinery or more efficient labor to off, set the higher wages paid in this country. The findings show that the cost of turning wool into yarn in this country Is about double that in the leading competing countries, and that the cost of turning yarn into cloth is somewhat more than double. Under the protective policy a great industry involving the welfare of hundreds of thousands of people has been estab- lished in spite of these handicaps.
 "In recommending revision and re- duction, I therefore urge that action be taken with these facts in mind to the end that an important and estab- lished Industry may mot get jeopar- dized. The tariff board reports that no equitable method has been found
  wooden and worsted fabrics and that excepting for 8 compensatory duty the rate must be ad, vaiorem on such manufactures. It is important to realize, however, that no fiat ad va lorem rate on such fabrics can be made to work fairly and effectively. Any single rate, which is high enough to eQualize the difference in manufac- turing cost at home. and abroad and highly finished goods involving such labor would be prohibitory on cheaper goods, in which the labor cost is a sma Ter proportion of the total value. equaffze luis difference on cheaper goods would remove protection from the fine goods manufactured, the in- crease in which has been one. of the striking features of the trades de- velopment in recent years. l.. there fore, recommend that, in any revision, the importance of graduated scale of ad valorern duties on cloths be care fully considered and applied.
 1T venture to say that no executive body has ever had presented to 1t a more complete and exhaustive report than this on so difficult and scompli- icated a subject as the relative costs of wool and woolens the world over. It is monument to the thoroughness. industry, impartiality and accuracy of the men engaged in it's making. They were chosen from both political par ties, but have allowed E no partisan spirit to prompt or control their in- qMries. They are unanimous in their findings
 "I feel sure that, after this report has been printed and studied, the value of such compendium of exact Knowledge in respect to this schedule of the tariff will convince all of the wisdom of making such board per- manent in order that it. may treat each schedule of the tariff as 1t has treated this and keep it's bureau of information up to date with current changes in the economic world.
 s'It is no part of the function of the tariff board to propose rates of duty. Their function is merely to present findings of fact on which rates of duty may be really determined in the light of adequate knowledge in accord with the economic policy to be follow ed. This is what the present report does
 ''The findings of fact by the board show ample reason for the lewiston with the protective principle and pre- sent the data as to relative costs and prices from which may be termed what tesfwin fairly equalize the diff ference in production cost. recom- mend that such revision he proceeded WlII dt once.
 (Signed) U
 WILLIAM 1T. TAFT
 In opening his message, the Presf- dent reviewed the history of the tariff board and explained that he vetoed the wool tariff bill, last summer, be- cause he believed such "a report as he now transmits is necessary for in- telligent action.
 SYNOPSIS OF WOOL REPORT
 On Page Three of The Farmer will be found a synopsis of the wool re- port of the Tariff Commission, trans mitted to Congress today by Presl- dent Taft.