The Washington herald., 1912-08-10
WOOL BILL RATES
TOOL0V, V,SAYSTAFT
Returns Underwood-La Toilette
Measure to Congress with
Veto Message.

The expected happened yesterday when
President Taft sent message to Con-
gress yetoing the vol bill sent to him
as. the result Of the coalition between the
Democrats and the Republican 1nsur-
gents. The President holds that most of
the rates In the Underwood-La Toilette
compromise bill are so. low that they
would. II enacted into law. result In ire
trievable injury to the woolen industry,
and throw thousands of workmen out
OF employment The President takes q
firm stand for revision based on scien-
tifc data furnished by the tariff board.
Mr.. Taft expressed the hope that Con-
gress will remain In session until II can
pass legislation revising tariff rates
downward.
He urges Congress to return to him a
wool bill based on the findings Of the
tariff board. II Congress will accept
this challenge. the President assures
them he will promptly give the measure
his approval. He says he will sign the
bill presented by the minority members
Of the House Ways and Means Commit
tee. which would reduce the duty on most
woods 20 per cent, and the duties on
manufactures from 20 per cent to 30 per
cent. and which. In many instances, gives
less net protection TO the manufacturer
than was granted by the Democratic
free wool act Of 1884
VIII Not Reframe Bill.
The House heard the veto message In
silence. The House Democrats will not
accept the Presidents challenge by pass
ing another bill They take the position
that II is impossible for any two men to
agree on the findings Of the tariff board.
They will thrash out this point on the
floor, and then make an effort to pass the
Underwood-La Toilette bill over the Pres
ident's veto.
Leader Underwood last night authorized
this statement:
Il do not think 1t possible to write a
tariff bill that will meet with the Presi-
dents approval. The issue will go to the
American people in the elections this fall
They will determine whether they want
an honest revision OF the tariff downward
IL they do want such revision of the
tariff they will put a Democrat In the
White House who will sign the next DEM
ocratic wool bill to be passed by the DEM
ocratic House.
The Democratic programme as 10
legislation will not be changed at the
request OF the President that we shall
remain here to give him what he wants.
Our tariff bills have been passed by the
House. In conference We have agreed
on some OF them with a Republican
senate. Iney 90 not COlnClde Win my
tariff views. but they are the outcome
of conference. They will be sent along
to the President for action. / do not be-
lieve that other tariff bills will be sent to
him TO take the place of those he vetoes.
A Conservative Bill.
'T think that the wool bill was .
most conservative bill. 1t was e COM
promise between the two Houses. There
were some things in the bill that I did
not agree with in the main, but II was
better than the existing law. The Presi-
dent should have signed IL.
THE President admits there Is a net
protection, after making allowances for
the cost of raw wool, of from y to 81
per cent. When II is recalled that ac-
cording TO census figures that the total
labor cost in the woolen industries OF
this country is only q per cent Of the
value OF the product and that 10 or II
per. cent covers the difference in labor
cost with that abroad, II is hard to de-
termine how the President could veto a
bill that gives the woolen manufacturer
an average Of . per cent protection
after deducting the tax paid on raw
wool"