The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-27

Taft to-day transmitted to Congress
the Tariff Boards report on the cotton
schedule with the recomme ndation
that that section OF the tariff law be
taken w for revision aud reductions
in the rates OF duty.
The President advises Congress that
the boards Investigations have shown
that the duties on some cotton yards
IL two and three TIMES in excess Of
the difference of the cost OF produce
ton in the United States and abroad
Ing processes are in excess OF the diff
ference In the extra cost due to
finishing. and arc ofton in excess of
the total domestic cost of finishing.
Prices paid by consumers in the
United States are higher than abroad.
even when prices received by manufac-
turers in both places are the same.
This is said to be due to the higher
cost of distribution here. Plain
cloths are as cheap heer as anywhere,
but on fancy fabrics the duties are
In excess of the differences In cost,
and in many cases the duties are
greater than the conversion costs in
the mills of the United States
President Taft asks deficiency an
preparation of 100000 for the board to
continue its work during April, May
and June, and urges Congress to fur
Their continue the life of the board
that 1t may prosecute Investigations OF
the metal leather. chemical and sugar
chedules which the President has di-
rected
Comprehensive Summary.
The Presidents message is com
prehensive summary of the boards
finding. AS in It's report Oh the wooden
schedule and the pulp and paper
schedule. the board makes no recon-
mendations and suggests no duties in
Its review Of a very complex sub
ject
The president says he bases his
recommendation of tho declaration on
the platform on which he was elect
ed-"that reasonable protective
tariff should be adjusted to tho DIFF
ference in cost of production at home
and abroad"
The report OF the board shows the
difficulty of stating In general terms
differences in costs of production for
a great variety OF cotton manurac-
lures" tho President wrote. THE diff
ferences vary widely according TO the
character of the particular fabric.
"The report shows that the cost or
spinning cotton yarn in this country
Is greater than in tho leading COM
petlnB cOunLTy--GnSldnd.
I'm case OF ordinary warp and nIl-
Ing yarns. forming the bulk of the
production OF the domestic industry.
the foreign cost OF turning cotton into
yarn IS shown to be about 10 per cent
OF the domestic cost.
THE duty on those yarns is two
or three times in excess of the differ
ences In cost of production. On some
highly specialized yarns and on yarns
OF the highest count-that Is, of great
est flneness--the duty In some cases
about equalizes the differences In CON
version costs.
"In many cases, however, on the
duoed in this country. the duty Is In
eHcoss OF the difference in the cost
OF production, though by q much less
amount than In the case of ordinary
warp and filing yarns,
Conclusion SuhBtantfntcd,
1.-THE difference In the cost OF weav-
ing yarns into cloth as between this
country and ita chief competitor, varies
according 10 tho character of the
fabric. III tho case OF many cloths of
plain weave, tho American cost OF
weaving seems To be lowor than tho
foreign cost. due to tho gropter num-
br of looms tended por weaver In this
country, This reduces tho labor cost
per yard despite tho higher earnings
OF the American woaver. This con-
cluslon is further suhatuntiated by tho
fact that cloths or this description arc
sold by tho domestic manufacturers In
this country ct pr!ooa M low ~ those
charged by the foreign manufactures
In hla own 0QuntrY. In Droportion