The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-03-27
DEMOCRATS SAY THAT TARIFF
BOARD PROCEEDED UPON Err
RONEOUS THEORY.
WOOL BILL RE-|NTR0DUCEO
Vetoed BY Taft Last Summer, pla-
cling Twenty Per Cent Ad Valorem
on Wool. Re-Introduced.

Washington, March 2I-That the
tariff board in its report to congress
on the wool schedule proceeded upon
an entirely errneous theory ana that
its report was "untenable' is the con-
clusion of the democratic members or
1 the ways and means committee OF the
house, as set forth in a report prepar-
ed by Representative Underwood,
chairman of the committee, in con
nection with the re-introduction of
the wool bill, placing 20 Ter cent ad-
valorem duty on raw wool.
This bill, which after slight revis-
ion in conference last summer, was
vetoed by President Taft, who gave
then as his principal reason for eX-
ercise of the veto power that the tar
if board had made no report on the
subject. Last December the board re-
ported and the democratic members
of the ways and means committee,
after an analysis of this report, re-
introduced the old bill claiming that
there was nothing in that report to
justify any change.
Summarizing the conclusion of the
committee, Chairman Underwood
says:
f,L nnH al lnnNv.
sis of the report of the tariff board
dictates conclusions as follows:
The theory OF applying tariff du-
ties according to the difference in the
cost of production in this and in for
eisn countries, upon which the board
has projected and prepared its report,
is entirely erroneous and untenable.
Furthermore, if this theory could have
been systematically and carefully ap-
piled, it would not have afforded
trustworthy results for guidance in
tariff legislation
The boards report is fragmentary
and incomplete, and rests on an in
correct statistical basis Hence 1t
has no claims to confidence for the re-
suits set forth therein, even should
the reliability of the theory of the
cost of production be conceded
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
with reference to rates
of tariff duty. Even under the most
favorable Interpretation of the report,
as to duties can be reach
ed for only a few paragraphs of the
wool schedule, and for these para
graphs it is not possible to formulate
definite conclusions, because the fig
ures vary widely, and seriously lack |
and compatibility
$50 far as conclusions can be |
irawn from the boards report, it fur
1isheS nothing to justify any change |
n the rates proposed in the present
,ill
In making the computations from
which have resulted the rates as JUS
flied by the tariff boards data, the
most expensive and difficult condi-
ions indicated by the data as attend
ng production have been employed
With view to being mare than Just
n the conclusions. The necessity Cf
to equalize the difference
n the cost of production beyond the
ates carried by this bill exists in
nut few instances. and these are in
II probability the results of high
osts which have been presented by
he board and used in the computa-
ions
After reviewing the democratic at
ampt of last year to secure revision
the wool schedule and the presi-
ent's veto, the committee quoted the
aport on the original wool bill to the