Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-26
THE TARIFF PROGRAM.
Bills for Free Lumber and Free Silver I
Or~ IN, Re. praaantnH

Bills for Free Lumber and Free Silver Lead
Ore to Be Presented.
The democratic majority of the ways and
means committee today moved q little further
along in their program Of attacking the
present tariff system by means Of sepa-
rate tariff bills. Two more Stree list"
bills were practically agreed upon by the
democratic majority and were brought before
the full committee on ways and means at to-
days meeting. but owing to the desire on the
part Of the republican minority of the
committee to look further into the
measures before their report to the
House no final action was taken in committee.
The two bills to be reported relate to lumber
and silver lead ores, and it is proposed to make
each FREQ Of duty.
AS TO FREE LUMBER.
The majority have not absolutely deter
mined to report a free lumber bill, but there is
be reached at the next meeting.
MIR. Montgomery of Kentucky is chairman Of
the subcommittee in charge Of the lumber bill
As framed the bill follows the free lumber Sec
ton Of the Mills bill, making the same classes
OF lumber free Of duty that were put on the
free list by the Mills bill
FREE MEXICAN SILVER LEAD ORE.
port bill to admit Mexican silver lead ores
free Of duty, and the only reason that the re-
port was not ordered made to the House
today was that Mr.. Reed said he believed
there were some objections to be urged to the
measure and the minority would like the
matter to 60 over until the next meeting.
The question OF changing the existing classi-
cation of silver lead ores ia {. matter which
as been before the Treasury Dopar tment and
the ways and means committee for some
time. Under the present ruling OF the
Treasury DepaI tment ores containing silver
and lead are to be admitted duty free as silver
ores only when the lead exceeds the silver in
quantity. A number Of smelters and others have
made vigorous efforts to have this classification
changed that ores might be admitted free
of duty as silver ores whenever the value of the
silver in any given importation exceeded the
value of the lead in such importation. The
government OF Mexico Is very anxious to have
this done. and it has been suggested that this
concession to Mexico might be used to obtain
reciprocal advantages from Mexico with respect
to the admission OF United States manufactures
at lower rates Of duty. The smelters have
urged that their interests required that they
should be enabled to obtain free Mexican lead
ores. but American miners have generally OPP
posed this.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The bill adopted by the democratic majority
of the committee is that introduced by Mr.
Dockery of Missouri. 1t changes the existing
law so as to provide 'that ores containing
silver and lead, in which the value of the
silver contents shall be greater than the value
OF the lead contents according to same and as
say at the port OF entry shall be considered sill
yer and as such shall be exempt from
duty"
When these two bills are reported to the
House it will make another list of three tariff
measures to engage the attention of the House
at this session, the tin plate bill already being
on the calendar.