Evening star., 1896-12-11
TARIFF REVISION
Ways and Means Committee to Begin
Work at Once.
CONFERENCE With Mr.. MMILLIN
Certain Features of the New Bill
Already Decided On.
P r o NJ PIT HEARING G S

The program of the ways and means
committee to prepare tariff bill for the
extra session of Congress was the only
topic of discussion about the House today,
and met with general approval among the
republicans. 1t is expected that the bill
will be brought forward very early in the
extra session, and passed under a rule fix
ing time for debate, so that its fate will be
in the hands of the Senate early. All of
the republican members of the ways and
means committee have been reelected to
the next Congress, and it is assumed that
Mr.. Reed will be again chosen Speaker.
and will not change the personnel of the
committee, so that there is no probability
any effort would be made to do the work
over again.
Conference With McMillfn.
Today Chairman Dingley had a confer
ence with Mr.. McMillin of Tennessee. the
senior democratic member of the commit
tee. and officially stated the republican
plans. Mr.. Dingley said that the hearings
probably would begin with the holiday
cess and continue through the holidays.
TO prevent them from dragging along in
definitely, limited time may be assigned
for testimony relating to each of the most
important schedules. 1t is probable the
democratic ways and means members will
have consultation upon the tariff within
day or two, although of course, any op-
position they might see fit to offer to the
tariff program would be merely matter of
form. They are not pleased at the Sug
gestion that Mr.. Newlands, the independent
silver member from Nevada, who is pro-
tectiontst, be given Mr.. Crisps chair at
the committee table. Speaker Reed sell
dom consults with the minority about COM
mlttee appointments, and has not done so
in this "a Sc.
Certain features of the new tariff bill
have already been practically decided upon
by the republicans. Chairman Dingley is
authority for the statement that the bill
viii be framed to prevent the use OF the
bonded warehouses by importers to escape
the payment of higher duties, as they were
used when the Mckinley bill was passed.
To effect this there will be clause pro-
viding that goods in storage in bonded
warehouses when the new law goes into
effect will pay the rates of that law and
not those of the Wilson act in operation
when they were entered.
Those schedules of the Wilson law, which
have proved satisfactory, ii is said, will not
be disturbed.
member Of the committee spoke of the
cotton schedule as the most likely to re-
main. unchanged, as having been guarded
by democratic protectionists in the Senate
he said, its effects had been sa tisfactory
to manufacturers and operatives, and the
duties being specific We're in accord with
the republican policy.
The Wilson acts ad valorem features will
be done away with, it goes without say
ing.
The reciprocity system may be effected
by the establishment of two schedules on
articles on which concessions are desired
from other countries, one schedule for
these goods when imported from the coun-
tries which agree to reciprocity treaties,
the other schedule for those which do not
More Conferences Expected.
Several conferences of the republican
ways and means men are expected before
tmS hearings begin. 1t is suggested by one
of them that they may decide upon the
schedules OF ths Wilson act, which they
will continue, and perhaps some Mckinley
act rates, which will be re-estabii.shed and
Will give hearings only on the remaining
schedules, inviting the parties Interested
to furnish the committee the information
which it wants. To finish the bill before
the 18th of March the committee will be
obliged to work faster than the ways and
means committee did on the Mckinley bill.
and it might not be able to frame the new
bill by the appointed date if hearings are
given on all schedules