The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-26
President Taft Tells Congress
Tariff on Cotton Goods
In Many Instances Is Found to
Be Excessive.
THE REPORT OF THE BOARD
Accompanies Recommendation
for a Revision Downward.
Comparison of Prices Here and
Abroad Is Made.

| Washington, March 26.-President
Taft today transmitted to congress the
tariff boards report on the cotton
schedule with the recommendation
that this section of the tariff law be
taken up with a view to revision and
reductions in the rates of duty.
The president advises congress that
the boards Investigations have shown
that the duty on some cotton yarns
is two and three times in excess of the
difference of the cost of production
in the United States and abroad. The
duties imposed because of finishing
processes are in excess of the differ
ence in the extra cost due to finishing
and are often 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 manu-
facturers in both places are the same.
This is said to be due to the higher
cost of distribution here. Plain cloths
are as cheap here 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 a deficiency ap-
preparation of 100000 for the board
to continue its work during April
May and June, and urges congress to
continue further the life of the board
that it may prosecute Investigations
of the metal, leather. chemical and
sugar. schedules, which the president
has directed
The presidents message is a com
parative summary of the boards find
ings. AS in it's report on the woolen
schedule and the pulp and paper
schedule, the board makes no recon-
mendations and suggests no duties in
its review of a very complex subject
The president says he bases his recon-
mendations on the declaration of the
platform on which he was elected
that a reasonable protective tariff
should be adjusted to the difference in
cost of production at home and
abroad.
The Presidents Comment.
1.-THE report of the board shows the
difficulty of stating in general terms
differences in costs of production for
a great variety of cotton manufac-
lures" the president wrote.
THE differences vary widely accord
ing to the character of the particular
fabric. The report shows that the
cost of spinning cotton yarn in this
competing country. In the case of
ordinary warp and filling yarns, form.
ing the bulk of the production of the
domestic industry, the foreign cost of
turning cotton into yarn is shown to
be about 20 per cent of domestic cost.
The duty on these yarns is two
three times in excess of the difference
in cost of production. On some highly
specialized yarns and on yarns of the
highest count-that is, of greatest fine
ness-the duty in some cases about
equalizes the difference in conversion
costs.
In many cases, however, on the
higher grades of yarn which are pro-
duced in this country, the duty is in
excess Of the difference in the cost of
production though by a much less
amount than in the case of ordinary
warp and filling yarns.
THE difference in the cost of weaving
yarns into cloth as between this coun-
try and its chief competitor. varies &C
cording to the character of the fab
rlc In the case of many cloths Of
plain weave, the American cost of
weaving seems to he lower than the
foreign cost, due to the greater num-
her of looms tended per weaver in this
fCOntinued on Paoe Sov.1