The Washington times., 1912-03-27
HOUSE GETS TWO
REPORTS IN FAVOR
OF CUTS ON WOOL
Democrats Condemn, While
Republicans Indorse,
B.; Tariff Board.

The Democratic report attacks the
data gathered by the tariff board and
defends the ad valorem rates provided
In the majority measure. On the other
hand the minority report praises the
work of the tariff board and declares
the specific rates Of the Republican bill
to be the most equitable and just re-
vision OF Schedule *"
The irreconcilable views Of the Demo-
cratic and Republican members Of the
committee on this tariff measure are
shown by references to the tariff board
report on the wool industry. The mi
nority refers to the report of the board
as 1.-The very able and complete report
of the tariff board on wool" The
Democrats referring to the same report,
say: The incomplete, fragmentary, and
unsatisfactory nature of the data and
the inadequate unreliable basis afford
ed for computation.
The Democratic bill Is Identical with
that passed by the House last year in
its attempt to revise the wooden
schedule, and provides a q per cent re-
duties on wool. The duty on raw wool
Is placed at 20 per cent ad valorem.
Explaining that the report of the tariff
board did not justify any change in the
old wool BILL the majority report filed
today says:
Careful Analysis.
1.-THE committee has made a careful
analysis of the report of the board in
order to interpret the findings and to
discover in what particulars the COM
mittee's former bill was defective or
failed to adjust the duties in an equi-
table and proper manner. This analysis
has failed to reveal anything that re-
quires a single change in the rates fXed
by the old bill, and the committee Is
fro Inc 70 nNt tn hA &c
of its investigations of last summer as
embodied in the bill presented to the
House at that time.
"As shown in the analysis the data
of the report of the tariff board have
been found to be unsystematiC and to
present the insignificant findings, and,
as stated, to afford the committee no
valid reason for any change in its
recommendations of last session."
The majority members take another
rap, at the tariff board by saying that
but is primarily, an analysis of the
money involved in the production and
manufacture of WOOL
=. All through the report, in defending
Its wool bill, the provisions of which
were made public several days ago,
the Democrats overlooked. no oppor-
tunity to express their displeasure with
the report of the tariff board
In q recapitulaticn of the boards re-
port, the Democratic members say:
The theory Of applying tariff duties
OF production in this and in foreign
countries, upon which the board has
protected and prepared its report is
Ttsy Ss and SeSrH oTd PT
! been systematically and carefully APP
piled, 1t would not have afforded trust
worthy results for guidance in prepar-
ing tariff legislation
Call 1t Fragmentary.
THE boards report is fragmentary
and rests upon an incorrect statistical
basis. Hence, 1t has no claims to con-
f1deace for the results set forth therein,
even should the reliability of the theory
Of the cost Of production be conceded"
The majority report says that under
the most favorable circumstances the
conclusions of the tariff board can ap.
ply to but a few paragraphs Of the wool
schedule
Defending the exclusive use of ad-
Valorem duties the Democrats say that
such duties obViate the intricate and
complex qualifications, differentiations
and determinations of schedule "K' OF
The report refers to the Democratic
victory of 1910 and declares this to have
been a rebuke OF the Payne law ana
the demand for downward revision OF
the tariff. The rates of duty worked
out by the majority members says the
report, have been fixed without any
reference to protection, but with an In
tent TO TS0uCS lHG rows
which have so long been burden to
the consumer, and with the further
view to producing necessary revenue
from the wool schedule.
On the other hand, the report OF the
minority accuses the Democrats or
desire not to nave scientlhc lntoInia ma
tion upon which to revise the tarln.
The minority asserts that the rates in
the Republican bill are made in strict
conformity to the data gathered by the
tariff board. which has been character
lied as worthless by the majority.
Defending the specific duties In the
Republican substitute bill, which, the
minority says will bring about a reduc-
ton of about 40 per cent IN me present
I'VE have divided woods into two IN
stead of three classes, uniting class l
and 2, into class l in this Pill and max ak.
10 no reason why there should be dis
tlnction between these first two classes.
1--WE have fixed a rate of duty on class
the clean content of the wool. This
measures the difference between the
cost of production at home and abroad
on nearly all wool imported, and the
bulk of the wool grown in the United
states This bill opens the wool markets
of the world to us and stll preserves
the home market to the American pro-
Queer"
The Republican report claims that the
tariff boards findings have thoroughly
exploded the fiction in reference to the Inc
borer in the textile industry.
Generally speaking, the report says
the labor cost per yard in the United
States is double that OF the labor cost
abroad.
mentss of rates on manufactured WOO
the Republican members assert thai
they have corrected the inequitable du'
ties on wool in the present law.
The minority report stresses the point
that carpet woods have been made free
in the Republican bill. 4 hint that the
President will veto the Democratic bill
is contained in the closing paragraph in
the minority report which says:
The official returns up to date in
dictate a surplus Of not less than $685.,
700 for the present fiscal year. Wha
new excuse will now be invented fol
a revenue duty on schedule *" canno
be conjectured until the majority re-
port is seen. We invite the ma jority Il
cooperate with us In passing the bill
we present, and make a radical reduc'
ton now, instead OF preventing a reduc
tion by adhering to the Democratic
bill"