Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-27
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
B[|IT|LE REPORT
DEMOCRATS or WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE R,plcuLE TARIFF
REPORT,
FIGURES ON WOOL SCHEDULE
FRAoMENTARY, UNRELIABLE
Committee Reports Back Bill Vetoed
by President TAFT With Little CHANG,
Fails to Consider Cost Of Manu-
faeturs at Home and Abroad, Demo-
Gratis Say.

Washington, March 27.-That the
tariff board in its report to congress on
the wool schedule proceeded upon an
entirely erroneous theory and that it's
report was "untenable" is the conclu-
sion of the democratic members of the
ways and means committee Of the
house as set forth in report prepared
by Representative Underwood, chair
man of the committee. in connection
with the re-introduction Of the wool
bill placing 20 per cent advalorem
duty on raw wool.
This BILL which after slight revision
in conference last summer, was vetoed
by President Taft, who gave then as
his principal reason for exercise of the
veto. power that the tariff board had
made mo report on the subject. Last
December the board reported and the
democratic members of the ways
and means comittee. after an analysis
Of this report, reintroduced the old
bill, claiming that there was nothing in
that report to justify any change.
Boards Position untenabIe.
Summarizing the conclusion of the
committee. Chairman Underwood says:
"A careful and painstaking analysis
Of the wool report Of the tariff board
dc tGtcs conclusions as follows:
1.-The theory Of applying tariff duties
according to the difference i'm the cost
Of production in this and in foreign
countries, upon which the board has
projected and prepared its report, is
entirely erroneous and untenable. Fur
thermore, If this theory could have
been Systematically and carefully APP
piled, it would not have afforded trust
worthy results for guidance, in pre-
pairing tariff legislation.
The boards report is fragmentary
and incomplete, and rests on an incor-
rect statistical basis. Hence it has no
claims to confidence for the results set
forth therein, even should the reliable
ity of the theory of the cost of produc-
toiu be conceded.
Report Termed Frasmsntary.
Those persons who are willing to
overlook the lack of theoretical sound
ness and Of statistical accuracy, will
find the data: of the report too frag-
mentary and incomplete to admit of
conclusions with reference to rates of
tariff duty. Even under the most ia.
vorable Interpretation of the report,
conclusions as to duties can be reached
for only few paragraphs Of the wool
schedule, and for those paragraphs 1t
il not possible to formulate definite
conclusions, because the figures vary
widely, and seriously lack uniformity
and compatibility. So much is this the
case that justification is apparently ,af-
forded in the report for rates that are
in conflict with one another. 1t is thus
seen that the report leaves the ques-
ton Of the tariff duties on wool as
much unsolved as before the tariff
board was formed.
$50 far as conclusions can be drawn
from the boards report. it furnishes
nothing to justify any change in the
rates proposed in the present bill.
I'm making the computations from
which have resulted the rates as justt-
fed by the tariff boards data, the most
expensive and difficult conditions in
dictated by the data as attending pro-
duction have been employed with
view to being more than just In the
conclusions. The necessity Of protec-
lions to equalize the difference In the
cost of production beyond the rates
carried BY this bill exists in but few
instances, and these are In all probable
ity the results Of high costs which have
been presented by the board and used
in the computations.
Protection Not Considered.
''In preparing this bill OF last session
and n. r. 22195 Of this session no In
territorial provision was made for pro-
lection. the endeavor being to reduce
and adjust rates with view to pro-
ducing the largest amount of revenue
consistent with the proper considera-
ton Of the consumer. 1t Is believed
that the rates Of this bill approach
very closely, at least. to the best rev.
enue producing points, and that rates
should, IL enacted into law, permit such
quantities Of imports as will effectively
regulate domestic prices. Such compe-
tition would be an important service
to. the people, as 1t would encourage
increased consumption and production
by making more nearly normal the
conditions of supply and demand. The
report Of the tariff board. so far as 1t
admits of conclusions, shows that the
rates which meet the consumers needs
also sufficiently satisfy those of the
producer"
After reviewing the democratic at
tempt of last year to secure revision of
the wool schedule and the presidents
veto, the committee quoted the report
on the original wool bill to the effect
that at would be trifling with the peo-
pie to give further consideration to
republican counsels Of more delay in
this matter"
AZ to Clothing.
tam IN tho xvno1 schedule as
treated by the tariff board is analysed
at length by the committee, such as
tops, nails, yarns, cloths, carpets, etc,
and the report submits that there Is
nothing to justify q change from the
rates proposed in the Underwood bill.
Regarding clothing the report says:
There is no definite information In
the boards data regarding the cost Of
clothing, inasmuch as
costs do not appear to have been ascer-
tanned abroad upon the same basis.
About all that can be said. therefore.
Is that SO far as the boards informa-
ton goes, there is no reason for in
creasing the tariff on ready-made
above the rate of tariff Inn
posed upon the cloth and material out
of which such clothing Is made. The
rate Of duty fixed In this bill upon
ready -made clothing was Is per cent,