The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-27
TARIFF BOARDS
REPORT ASSA|LED
BY DEMOCRATS
Members Ways and Means
Committee Declare Find
ings Unreturnable.
MUST IGNORE REPUBLICANS
TO GET REDUCTION IN RATE

Wool Schedule Pointed Out by the
ComMittee-DiYerenc In Produc.
tion Cost Shows Board Did Nothing,
Washington. March o7.-That the
tariff board in its report to congress
on the wool schedule proceeded upon
an entirely erroneous theory and that
Its renort was "untenable' is the con-
clusion of the democratic members of
the ways and means committee Of the
mouse as set forth in a report prepar-
ed by Representative Underwood,
chairman Of the committee. in connec-
ton with the re-introduction of the
wool bill placing a 20 per cent ad val
orem duty on roaw WOOL
This bill. which after slight revision
in conferences last summer, was
vetoed by President Taft. who gave
then as his principal reason for exer-
else Of the veto power that the tariff
board had made no report on the sub
ject. Last December the board re-
ported and the democratic members
OF the ways and means committee, aft
er an analysis of this report. reintro-
duced the old bill claiming that there
was nothing in that report to justify
any change.
Summarizing the conclusion Of the
committee. Chairman Underwood
says:
OF the wool report of the tariff board
dictates conclusions as follows:
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 untenabl
Furthermore. If this theory could
have been Systematically and careful
~ applied. it would not have afforded
preparing tariff legislation.
Fragmcntary and Incomplete.
The boards report is fragmentary
and incomplete. and rests on an in
correct statistical basis. Hence 1t has
no claims to confidence for the results
set forth therein. even should the re-
| liability of the theory of the cost Of
production he conceded.
| Those persons who are willing to
overlook the lack Of theoretical
soundness and Of statistical accuracy,
VIII find the data of the report too
fragmentary and incomplete to admit
of conclusions with reference to rates
! of tariff duty. Even under the most
favorable Interpretation of the report.
conclusions as to duties can be reach
ed for only a, few paragraphs of the
wool schedule. and for these para
gra phs 1t is not possible to formulate
definite conclusions because the fig
ures Very widely. and seriously lack
uniformity and compatibility. So
much is this the case that justification
Is apparently afforded in the report
for rates that are in conflict with one
another. 1t is thus seen that the re-
port leaves the question of the tariff
duties on wool as much unsolved as
before the tariff board was formed.
So far as conclusions can be drawn
nothing to justify any change in the
rates proposed in the present bill.
I'm making the computations from
which have resulted the rates as justi-
fled by the tariff boards data. the most
expensive and difficult conditions in
dicated by the data as attending pro-
duction have been employed with a
conclusions. The necessity OF pro-
tections to equalize the difference in
the cost Of production beyond the
rates carried by this bill exists in hut
few instances. and these arc in all
probability the result of high costs
which have been presented by the
hoard and used in the computations
I'm preparing this bill of last ses-
sion and II. r. 22195 of this session no
intentional provision was made for
protection. the endeavor being to re-
duce and adjust rates with view to-
producing the largest amount of rev.
enue consistent with the proper con-
sderation Of the consumer. II is he
lieved that the rates of this bill ap-
proach very closely. at least. to the
best revenue producing points, and
that rafaS should opoctod ipto y,
permit such quantities of imports as
will effectively regulate domestic
prices. Such competition would be an
important service to the people. as it
would encourage increased consump-
ton and production by making more
nearly normal the conditions of sup
ply and demand. The report Of the
conclusions. shows that the rates
which meet the consumers needs also
ducer."
Trifing With the People.
After reviewing the democratic at
tempt of last year to secure revision
Of the wool schedule and the president
veto. the committee quoted the report
on the original wool bill to the effect
that lit would be trifling with the peo-
pie to give further consideration to re-
publican counsels Of more delay in this
matter"
Notwithstanding this conviction"
the report continues, the democratic
ma jority of the house Of representa-
tives. impatient to respond to the de-
mands of the people for the speedy re-
vision of a schedule of indefensible
rates. was forced to delay further ef-
fort to respond to the protests Of the
American people"
The message of the president SUBJ
mitting the report Of the tariff board
and his recommendations that the
boards findings be used as a basis for
Ia reduction Of rates. Is then quoted,
and the committee comments:
THE committee has made a careful
analysis of the report Of the tariff
board in order to interpret the find
ings and to discover In what particu-
lars the committees bill Of the last
session was defective. or failed to ad-
just the duties in an equitable and
proper manner. This analysis has
failed to reveal anything that requires
a single change in the rates fixed in
the committees bill. and the commit
tee Is constrained to present again the
results Of its investiga tions Of last
summer. as embodied in the bill pre-
sented to the house at that time.
"As shown in the analysis, the data
Of the report OF the tariff board have
lbeen found to be diffuse and unsyste-
matte, to present Insignificant findings.