The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-03-28
Tariff Board Draws Many False
Conclusions from Data
is Claim
NO PROTECTION NEEDED
Product Scarcely Produced in Unit
ed States and Cost is
not Higher

Washington, March, 27.-That
tho Tariff Beard In its report to
Congress nn tine wool schedule pro-
ceeded upon an entirely erroneous
theory and that Its report was "un-
tenable" is the conclusion of the
Democratic, members of the Ways
end Means Committee Of the House
as set forth Iii a report prepared by
Representative Underwood, chair
man of tha committee, in connection
with the re-introduction OF the wool
bill placing a 20 per cent ad valorem
duty on raw wool.
This bill, which after slight re-
vision in conference last summer.
was vetoed by President Taft, who
gave them as his principal reason
for exercise of the veto power that
the Tariff Board had made no report
on the subject Last December the
Board reported and the democratic
members of the Ways and Means
Committee, after an analysis of this
report, reintroduced the old bill
claiming that there was nothing in
that report to Justify and change
Report Erroneous
Summarizing the conclusion of
the committee, chairman Under
wood says:
"a careful and painstaking anal.
ysis of the wool report of the Tariff
Board dictates conclusions as fol
lows:
THE theory of applying tariff
duties according to the difference in
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.
THE Boards report is fragmen-
tary and incomplete, and rests on an
incorrect statistical basis. Hence it
has no claims to confidence for the
results set forth therein
so far as conclusions can be
drawn from the report, it furnishes
nothing to justify any change in the
rates proposed in the present bill.
I'm preparing this bill of last
session and Fl. r. 22.195 Of this ses-
sion no Intentional provision was
made for protection, the endeavor
being to reduce and adjust rates
with a view to producing the largest
amount of revenue consistent with
view to producing the largest
amount of revenue consistent with
the proper consideration of the CON
sumer. 1T is believed that the rates
OF. this bill approach very closely. at
least, to the best revenue producing
points, and that rates should. If on
acted into law, permit such uuan-
titles of imports as will effectively
regulate domestic prices. Such com
petition would be an important SER
vice to the people, as it would en-
courage increased consumption and
production by making more naerly
normal the conditions of supply and
demand The report of the Tariff
Board, so far as 1t admits of conclu-
sions, shows that the rates which
meet the consumers needs also suf-
ficiently satisfy those Of the pro-
ducer.'
Republican Delay Bad
After reviewing the Democratic
attempt of last year to secure re-
vision of the wool schedule and the
Presidents Veto the committee
quoted the report on the original
wool bill to the effect tht "it would
pc trifing with the people to give
tufther consideration to Republican
counsels of more delay in this mat
ter"
Notwithstanding this convic.
tioh, the report continues, "tht
democratic majority of the House
OF representatives, impatient to re-
spond to the demands Of the people
for tfe speedy revision of schedule
of indefensible rates, was forced tt
delay further effort to respond te
the protests Of the American peo.
Pile"