The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-02-24
Walker Tariff Will Not Be Followed
as Had Been Intended.
FREE LIST TO BE SLASHED
The Wilson Measure Is to BE Modified
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Is Expected
with Southern Senators.

tariff fight in the senate that the bill TO
be reported to the senate would be
practically the Wilson bill he appre-
ciated, perhaps better than his col |
leagues, the pressure that would be
brought to bear by the house committee
to prevent such a radical departure as
would precipitate contest anew when
the bill was returned by the senate or
went TO conference. The fact remains,
however, that as soon as the subcom-
mittee got to work it began the recon
struction of the measure as it came from
the house on the lines of the old Walker
tariff.
The opposition manifested to this rad
ical departure from the precedent es-
tablshed by the house was so great
when it became known that the pressure
could not be resisted, and it is now evil
dent that the old order of things will be
restored. This is due to the suggestion
of leading member of the finance com.
mittee and the urgent request of some
members of the ways and means COM
mittee. So soon then as the change to
the form of the Wilson bill was agreed
upon MI. Talbert, clerk of the house
ways and means committee, was sent
for, and for two or three days assisted
the senate committee in its work.
The plan of the senate committee in
volving, as it does, the raising of suffi-
cient revenue to meet the deficit neces-
sarily carries with 1t some we're slash
ing into the free list of the house bill,
and there will be striking modification
OF that list. 1t is pretty thoroughly I'M
derstood that coffee will be put on the
dutiable list at about 20 per cent ad
valorem; and it is also equally we'll set
tied, in the minds of those senators in
teTested at least, that coal will be
shifted from the free list to the dutia-
BILE list. The items that are giving the
committee the most trouble are iron
ore, wool, sugar and whisky. In the
case of wool there seems TO be no good
reason to believe that any change will
be made, although those interested are
working with much vigor to that end.
If, as appears to be the case, a small
duty is to be put on iron ore, it will
necessitate a complete overhauling of
the metal schedule, fact that will him
der the early reporting of the bill to
the full committee. That there will be
an increase in the whisky tax is abso-
lutely certain, but the matter of detail
as to how much and what shall be the
length of the bonded period is still un-
determined. Sugar is still, all reports
to the contrary Notwithstanding, an un-
known factor in the revenue schedule,
although it can be stated with positive
ness that it will be taxed.
Considerable time has been devoted
to the consideration of that article,
with no apparent results. Mr. White
of California was before the committee
for a few moments and notified the
members that he desired to be heard on
the sugar question, favorably to the
fixing of a tax. Messrs. Caffery and
White of Louisiana were also before
the committee and presented their
views at greater length than heretofore.
The attitude of these two senators
causes the subcommittee some concern,
for the reason that they will hold an
important position when the bill comes
into the senate, and have declared that
unless sugar was placed on the dutiable
list they would antagonize the bill in
its entirety.
Both these senators insist that the
maximum tax on sugar shall be II
cents. Where the tax is to begin they
are not particular, so that it be graded
up to reach the figure named. The
scheme, they claim, will protect the
producer from the free Importation OF
raw sugar, and the graduated tax will
enable the refner to refine the raw
product here at a reasonable profit
without harm to the producer, netting
the refner protection of between one
eighth and one-quarter of a cent. II
the committee will agree to this duty
the louisiana senators are preparing
to furnish them with a schedule that
will be satisfactory. 1t is understood
that strong delegation representing
the planters of the southern states is
here endeavoring to Offset the alleged
work of those representing the re