Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-10
T A RIFF CHAN G E S
Work of the Senate Finance Committee on
the Wilson Bill
The Object is to Make the Measure
More Nearly Approach
Revenue Basis.

The changes made in the tariff bill by the
Senate committee will not be of character
to make 1t a substitute for the Wilson bill.
1t will be the Wilson bill reported with
amendments. The subcommittee is trying
to make the bill more nearly approach a
revenue basis than it does in it's present
shape, and it's intention is to make re-
ductions to revenue duties in a line with
the temper of the House and in line with
the bill. but more pronounced, and also to
restore some duties which the House de-
stroyed in order to bring in revenue. There
will be a shifting about in some of the
schedules which will make apparent
changes in the bill. with slight increase on
particular items and reductions on other
items in various schedules, in all of which,
however, the general character of the Will
son bill will be main tanned, although the
tendency will be toward a reduction of
duties.
The Wool and Iron Schedules.
Wool will remain on the free list and
there will be made number of more or
less important changes in the wooden manu-
factures schedules, the general result being
a reduction. Iron ore will also remain on
the free list and there will be reductions in
the iron and steel schedules, steel rails be-
ing probably reduced A duty of 80 cents
per ton will be put on COAL but this will
not affect other schedules.
In general way the amended bill will be
less consderate of the manufacturing in
terests than is the Wilson bill. Some Of
! the schedules in the Wilson bill retained
designedly at the protection point will be
reduced. Lumber and salt will be retained
on the free list. The subcommittee is at
present undecided between the proposition
to put uniform duties on all sugars, raw
and refined. and another, designed especially
as a blow at the trusts, to put raw sugar at
cent and a quarter and refined at one
cent. There is some controversy over the
proposition to increase the tax on beer, but
the indications point to no increase. The
committee contemplates increasing the tax
on whisky to 81. 10 and to extend the bonded
period for five years and have the tax ap-
ply to all whisky in bond at the time the
law takes effect.
The Income Tax.
The proposition has been made to make
the income tax sections a separate BILL but
it meets with little favor and the intention
is to include the income tax in the customs
bill. In fact, the restoration of the tax on
sugar carries with 1t understanding be-
tween the sugar and income tax men, who
antagoniZed each other in the House, but
will come together in the Senate. In a gen.
eral way Ii Is the purpose of the committee
to so amend the bill as to get the most
revenue possible out of every item on the
dutiable list.
The whisky Bond Period.
Senators Blackburn and Lindsay of
Kentucky were before the Senate sub
committee on finance today in the in
terest of the whisky dstillers of Ken
lucky. Their argument was devoted
almost exclusively to the extension of the
bonded period, which the distillers say in the
present depressed condition of business is
absolutely necessary to them. They repre-
sent that there are now S5,O0O,OOO gallons of
whisky In bonded warehouses, which must
be taken out under the Wilson bill within
the next three years, much of it within the
next year or two.
This even without the increase of the
tax would render the present circumstances
hardship, and with the increase the bur-
den will be that much heavier
Senator Voorhees,, chairman of the finance
committee, accompanied the Kentucky Sen
ators on their visit to the subcommittee,
fact which is considered as favorable to
the extension of the bonded period. He had
previously been in conference with some
of the representatives of the distilling in
tereSt.
Senator Mcpherson was also closeted with
the subcommittee for considerable time
during the day.