VIEWS OF THE MINORITY. It is difficult to understand on any economic principle why this bill is pressed just at this time. We have a Tariff Board, at an annual expense of $250,000, which has been engaged for several months in the investigation of Schedule K, and we are assured that this board will be ready to report fully on the 1st of December next. The wool schedule is difficult and intricate, and directly involves the welfare and living of more than a half million people. Changes, when made, should be with the greatest care and study and with all the intelligent aid we can muster. Without any hearings or new data, with no information later than that of two years ago, this bill is forced upon the House at the mandate of a political caucus. There can be no expectation that it will pass the other House or be even considered there before December next, at least. The bill itself is unlike any legislation ever attempted on this subject, and is a radical departure from all party platforms and economic principles. The only reason or excuse for the existence of this bill is that given by the Democratic caucus in their resolution. As the caucus seems to be the only body doing any legislating at this time, the action taken at the time it put this bill upon its passage must be taken as expressing the views of the majority. The caucus resolution was passed along with the adoption of this bill, and was put into the Congressional Record at the same time the bill was introduced in the House. The caucus edict has also gone forth that no amendment will be allowed in the House. The caucus is supreme, the House is its weak echo. The caucus resolution tells us that this bill "is not to be construed as the abandonment of any Democratic policy," but in view of "the depleted and depleting condition of the Public Treasury-a result of Republican extravagance-a tariff of 20 per cent ad valorem on raw wool is now proposed as a revenue necessity." "Revenue necessity" is the only reason so far given for this tariff on raw wool. The statement as to the condition of the Treasury here given is absolutely false, as proven by Treasury daily statement. On May 31, the day before this caucus, there was an actual surplus of receipts over disbursements for the past 11 months of the fiscal year which will end on the 30th day of this month of June of $6,875,914.37. One year ago, on May 31, 1910, there was a deficit for the like period of 11 months of $13,275,110.35. The Treasury was not depleted, but was better off by $20,151,024.72 on the date of the caucus than on the same day in 1910. This gain has increased daily since, and is now about $22,000,000. The Secretary's report made in December last shows a surplus of receipts over expenditures at the close of the year June 30, 1910, of $15,806,328.94. On this same basis, with corporation-tax receipts coming in, the surplus on June 30, next, for the year will be more than $36,000,000. In the words of the most distinguished Democratic leader: Let no Democratic advocate of a tax on wool masquerade behind the pretense that he is voting for a revenue tariff; let him not add hypocrisy to the sin he commits against his party. The bill is not drawn on lines for the production of revenue on raw wool. With a duty of 20 per cent on wool the duty on manufactured cloth is too low to enable our manufacturers to pay the wool duty and still compete with imported cloths. The bill is much worse than the Wilson for the weavers of cloth. Under that the wool was free and the duties on woolens greater. What wool came in would come as cloths under this bill. But the mills here on most lines must soon close, and the farmer, unable to find market for his wool, must destroy his flocks. The experience under the Wilson bill demonstrates this. This bill was printed for the use of the caucus, together with some statistics, which we are promised will appear in the committee report. On page 22 of the caucus print appears a summary of estimated imports and duties, from which we extract: Dividing the above increase in imports of raw wool ($19,293,706.80) by the value given ($0.186 per pound), we have an increased import of raw wool, estimated by this committee in weight of 103,800,000 pounds. The above increase in fabrics imported was $40,773,642.22, of which 60 per cent is estimated to be the value of the wool to make the fabrics-$24,464,185.33. The fabric is estimated at $1 per pound, and it takes 34 pounds of wool in the fleece to make a pound of cloth. Multiplying the above by 34 we have a result of pounds of raw wool of 85,621,147.60; a total of wool imports equivalent to 189,421,147 pounds, which is equivalent to 60 per cent of the annual production of domestic wool, averaging less than 315,000,000 pounds. We do not care to go into the many objections to this bill which we might urge. For purely political reasons this cold-blooded measure is brought forward. If it could become a law, it would slaughter the sheep as in 1894 and close the mills much more universally. SERENO E. PAYNE. J. C. NEEDHAM. USELESS PAPERS IN CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. JUNE 24, 1911.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. TALBOTT, from the Joint Select Committee on Disposition of Useless Executive Papers, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. Doc. No. 57.] The joint select committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, appointed on the part of the Senate and on the part of the House of Representatives, to which were referred the reports of the heads of departments, bureaus, etc., in respect to the accumulation therein of old and useless files of papers which are not needed or useful in the transaction of the current business therein, respectively, and have no permanent value or historical interest, with accompanying statements of the condition and character of such papers, respectfully report to the Senate and House of Representatives, pursuant to an act entitled "An act to authorize and provide for the disposition of useless papers in the executive departments," approved February 16, 1889, as follows: Your committee have met and, by a subcommittee appointed by your committee, carefully and fully examined the said reports so referred to your committee and the statements of the condition and the character of such files and papers therein described, and we find and report that the files and papers described in the report of the Acting Secretary of the Interior in House Document No. 57, Sixtysecond Congress, first session, dated May 15, 1911, are not needed in the transaction of the current business of such departments and bureaus and have no permanent value or historical interest. Respectfully submitted to the Senate and House of Representa tives. H R-62-1-vol 1-31 JNO. W. KERN, HENRY E. BURNHAM, Members on the part of the Senate. GEO. D. MCCREARY, Members on the part of the House. O 62D CONGRESS, 1st Session. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 4. { REPORT USELESS PAPERS IN TREASURY DEPARTMENT. JUNE 24, 1911.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. TALBOTT, from the Joint Select Committee on Disposition of Useless Executive Papers, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. Doc. No. 24.] The joint select committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, appointed on the part of the Senate and on the part of the House of Representatives, to which were referred the reports of the heads of departments, bureaus, etc., in respect to the accumulation therein of old and useless files of papers which are not needed or useful in the transaction of the current business therein, respectively, and have no permanent value or historical interest, with accompanying statements of the condition and character of such papers, respectfully report to the Senate and House of Representatives, pursuant to an act entitled "An act to authorize and provide for the disposition of useless papers in the executive departments," approved February 16, 1889, as follows: Your committee have met and, by a subcommittee appointed by your committee, carefully and fully examined the said reports so referred to your committee and the statements of the condition and the character of such files and papers therein described, and we find and report that the files and papers described in the report of the Acting Secretary of the Treasury in House Document No. 24, Sixtysecond Congress, first session, dated April 18, 1911, are not needed in the transaction of the current business of such departments and bureaus and have no permanent value or historical interest. Respectfully submitted to the Senate and House of Representa tives. JNO. W. KERN, HENRY E. BURNHAM, Members on the part of the Senate. J. FRED. C. TALBOTT, GEO. D. MCCREARY, Members on the part of the House. |