Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 290, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1910 — SIXTY-FIRST CONGRESS HEARS TAFT’S MESSAGE. [ARTICLE]

SIXTY-FIRST CONGRESS HEARS TAFT’S MESSAGE.

Document Contains 85,000 Words, Advacates Sane Tariff Legislation And Pension Increase. Congress gave respectful attention to the reading of President Taft’s annual message Tuesday. It is a long document, containing 35,000 words. It is not probable that favorable action can be given to all the propositions recommended in the document. The outstanding features of the measure are: He declares it is time to stop legislating with reference to regulation of corporations and to witness the effect of a vigorous execution of the laws already on the statute books. Just at this time, the president says, he believes the activities of the government in addition to enforcement of the laws, should be directed toward economy of administration, the enlargement of opportunities for foreign trade, the building up of home industry and the strefigthmMng of confidence of capital in domStic investment. Mr. Taft recommends strongly some form of ship subsidy to increase American shipping, especially to South America. The schedules of the rates of duty in the Payne tariff act have been subjected to a great deal of criticism, some of it just, more of .it unfounded, and to much 'misrepresentation. The act was adopted in pursuance of a declaration by the party which is responsible, for it, that a customs bill should be a tariff for the protection of home industries, the measure of the protection to be the difference between the cost of producing the imported article abroad and the cost of producing it at home, together with such addition to that difference as might give a reasonable profit to the home producer. The basis for the criticism of this tariff is that in respect to a number of the schedules the declared measure, was not followed, but a higher difference retained or inserted by way of undue discrimination in favor of certain industries and manufactures. Little, if any, of the criticism of the tariff has been directed against the protective principal above stated; but the main body of the criticism has been based on the charge that the attempt to conform to the measure of protection was not honestly and sincerely adhered to.

The time in which the tariff was prepared undoubtedly was so short as to make it impossible for ehe congress and its experts to acquire the information necessary Strictly 1 to conform to the declared measure. In order to avoid criticism of this kind in the future and for the purpose of more nearly conforming to the party promise, congress at its last session made provision at my request for the continuance of a board created under the authority of the maximum and minimum clause of the tariff bill, and authorized this board to expend the money appropriated under my direction for the ascertainment of the cost of production at home and abroad of the various articles included in the schedules of the tariff. The tariff board thus appointed and authorized has been diligent in preparing Itself for the necessary investigations. The hope of those who have advocated the use of this board, for tariff purposes is that the question of the rate of a duty imposed shall become more of a business question and less of a political question, to be ascertained by experts of long training and accurate knowledge. The shock to business, due to the announcement that a new tariff bill is to be prepared, will be avoided by treating the schedules one by one as occasion shall arise for a change in the rates of each, and only after such a report upon the schedule by the tariff board copipetent to make such report. It is not likely that the board will be able to make a report during the present session of congress on any of the schedules, because a proper examination involves an enormous amount of detail and a great deal of care, but I hope to be able at the opening of the new congress, or at least during the session of that congress, to bring to its attention the facts In regard to those schedules in the present tariff that may prove to need amendment. I can not too much empaslze the importance and benefit of the plan above proposed for the treatment of the tariff. It facilitates the removal of noteworthy defects in an important law without a disturbance of business prosperity, which is even more important to the happiness and the comfort of the people than the elimination of instances of injustice in the tariff. The inquiries which the members of the tariff board made last summer into the methods pursued by other governments with reference to ? the fixing of tariffs and the determination of their effect upon trade, show that each government maintains an office or bureau, the officers and employes of which have made their life work the study of tariff matters, of foreign and home prices and cost of articles Imported, and the effect of the tariff upon trade, so that whenever h change is thought to be necessary in the tariff law this

office is the source of the most reliable information as to the propriety of the change and its effect. I am strongly convinced that we need in this government just such an office, and that it can be secured by making the tariff board already appointed a permanent tariff commission, with such duties, powers and emoluments as it may seem wise to congress to give. It has been proposed to enlarge the board from three to five. The present number is convenient, but I do not know that an increase of two members would be objectionable. Whether or not the protective policy is to be continued, and the degree of protection to be accorded to our home industries, are questions which the people must decide through their chosen representatives; but whatever policy is adopted, it is clear that the necessary legislation should be based on an impartial, thorough and continuous study of the facts.

The Panama canal should by all means be fortified. An appropriation of $19,000,000 is recommended for this purpose. It is proposed that second class mail rates shall be readjusted so as to charge magazines a much higher rate on their advertising sections. Strong representations are made for the establishment of a new banking and currency system. Two new battleships and several auxiliary vessels are urged for the navy. Estimates of tha, government expenditures during the next fiscal year have been cut to $630,494,013.12, which is $52,964,887.36 less than the actual appropriations for the current year. The estimated .receipts for the next fiscal year are $680,000,000. Regarding the Panama canal the president says: “The progress of the work is most satisfactory. It will be completed well within the time, January 1, 1915, and within the estimated cost of $375,000,000. The slides in Culebra cut offer no great reason for delay.” Failure to fortify the canal would leave the United States powerless to enforce the universal and equal use of the waterway against a desperate and irresponsible enemy, and would defeat the object of the canal in increasing the military effectiveness of the American navy. Interstate railroads should be prevented from owning or controlling ships trading through the canal. Postal savings banks will be established in a number of cities January 1. A parcels post on rural delivery routes is —

Postmaster General Hitchcock is given high praise for putting the postoffice business on a self-sustaining basis. The extension of the civil service to include all classes of postmasters and thus taking those officials entirely out of politics is urged. The president recommefids that congress give some fitting recognition of polar discoveries of Commander Robert E. Peary. The secretary of the navy suggests that Peary be made a rear admiral and placed on the retired list. ‘ The stupendous value of the agricultural products amounting to SB,926,000,000 this year, indicates a good prospect for business throughout the country. The present census promises to be the best ever taken, but is not perfect. The census padders are to be vigorously prosecuted. A bureau of health should be established. The Southern Pacific railroad should be reimbursed for its expenditures in fighting the floods in the Imperial valley of California several years ago. Some provision should be made for retiring superannuated government clerks. The only amendments suggested in the Interstate commerce law are an appropriation to enable the interstate commerce commission to ascertain the valuation of railroads and fixing the responsibility of public carriers in the issuance of bills of lading.