The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-10-30
RECORD OF LAST CONGRESS
Many Avenues of Savings for
People Closed BY
Taft'S VetOeS.
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF MATTER

! 10 support the Democratic candi-
dates for Congress, and thus place
their stamp OF approval on the rec
ord Of the House of Representa-
/ tives.
Since January /, 1912, a Demo-
cratic House has passed tariff bills
which would have reduced the high
cost of living s65O,00O,OOU a year.
Every bill which in the slightest
degree provided relief for the
masses was vetoed by the President.
The Farmers Free List bill, pass
ed by the House, would have saved
the people $39O,00O,OOO annually.
This bill removed the duty from
agricultural implements. of which
$50, 100000 worth were exported
and only s165,OOO worth were i'm
ported during the last fiscal year;
sewing machines, fence wire, bag
ging and cotton ties. lumDer. laths,
shingles, meats, -four, salt, leather.
shoes, etc.
Under our tariff law a barrel OF
-four valued at 81 abroad is taxed
20 per cent. ad valorem at our
ports, or 81 on the barrel. This
bill removed the entire tax.
Beef valued at $3.50 per 100
pounds abroad pays tariff tax
equivalent to 25.Ss per cent, or
$3.50 per 100 pounds. This bill
proposed TO remove this entire tax.
The Democratic wool bill propos-
ed TO reduce the average rate of
duty on wool manufactures from
90.10 per cent. to 4S.36 per cent.
President Taft's veto of this meas
ure means that the American peo-
pie will pay s5O.OO0,O0O more for
their clothes this year than they
would have if President Taft had
signed it.
A wool hat valued at 81 abroad |
and taxed IS cents upon it's entry |
into the United States, under the |
present tariff law, would have been |
taxed only 40 cents.
Flannel underwear valued at $27 !
per dozen suits IL taxed under the |
present law at the equivalent ad |
valorem rate of about 106 per cent.
The Democratic bill proposed to re-
duce this to 40 per cent. A suit of
ready-made wooden clothing worth
in Europe $40 Is taxed under the
present law at the equivalent ad
valorem rate of 10 per cent, or
$3.50. The Democratic bill propos-
ed to reduce this tax from 70 to 40
per cent. and save the consumer
$3.50 per suit.
This cotton bill reduced the du-
ties on cotton manufactures from
4S.12 per cent. to 27.O6 per cent, a
reduction of the tariff burdens I'M
der this schedule from not less
than $2OO.000,00O to about $112,-
100000 for a year, or a saving
of about sSS, 100000 for a twelve
month period.
Mems cotton half-hose valued at
eighty cents per dozen pairs whole
sale are taxed under the present
law at the equivalent ad valorem
rate of about 92 per cent. The
Democratic cotton bill proposed to
reduce this to 40 per cent.
1t proposed to reduce the tax on
cotton thread from an equivalent
rate of "a per cent. to Is per cent
A suit of ready-made cotton cloth
ing valued at the foreign port at
Sc is taxed under our present law
so per cent. ad valorem, or SO a
suit. This Democratic bill propos-
ed to reduce this tax to 80 per cent.
and save the consumer $1.20 per
suit.
The bill placing sugar on the free
list would have saved during a year
not less than $115, 100000 to the
consumer. The tariff tax on sugar
amounts to about u cents per
pound. The amount of sugar con-
sumed in continental United States
in 1911 was about 1868, 00O,0OO
pounds, and the application OF / "
cents per pound to this consump-
tion affords the estimate of $115,-
100000 as representing the saving
to the people.
The House passed bill provid-
ing for an excise tax on incomes .
thereby transferring a considerable
portion OF the tax bnrdep.>to the
wealthy. which are es1dping their
proper proportion.
The Excise Tx bill passed by the q
House provides for the extension OF I
the Corp.fation Tax law so as to in {
cluds individuals, firms and col