El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-02-09
RECIPROCITY AND MORE REVENUE.
That is What the Trainers of the New
Tariff Bill are Doing.
Especial Correspondence

|
, trainers of the new republican tari
bill are working diligently in secret o
it.
Reciprocity and $50, 900, 900 more ar
nual revenue are the principal feature
of the bill.
The Dingley measure is not dupli
cate Of the Mckinley bill, some of tn
schedules of the Wilson bill being re
tanned.
The bill is not completed yet, and will
uot be during this session of Congress
The republican members OF the com
mittee are sitting every day, and will
pursue the same policy after March 4
If the measure is completed in time tt
present Immediately after the organic
alton of the next house, Chairman
Dingley will be satisfied. The bill it.
SELF so far as progress has been made
shows the change in republican senti
ment.
The party has profted by the Wilson
tariff law. It has found good in it-so
much good that m any features of the
present law will be retained Rates
from the old Mckinley law have been
cut down. Many Objectionable features
of that bill are being eliminated, yet
the new measure will resemble that
law to marked degree, especially in
the wool schedule, which is being held
to the last, a piece de resistance of re-
publican policy.
The reciprocity paragraphs of the
Mckinley law will appear intact in the
new bill. To them will be added a re-
ciprocity feature on the spirits and
wine schedule. This is bid for the
trade of Germany and France, a sop to
Cerberus in the interest of American
meat products and the meat trust.
The details of reciprocity are yet to
be agreed upon, but the machinery
will be in the lowering Of reciprocal
duties.
The free list of the present law is
being cut down with great rapidity. In
this respect the resemblance to the
Mckinley law will be striking. One of
the most important removals from the
list already made is that of salt. Tin
plate will have a standing in the new
bill, too, though the iron and steel
schedule has not been touched yet to any
great extent.
Every schedule in the bill has been
discussed at least part, but no one of
them can be called finished. In each one
there is something to be still straight
ened out.
The rate on kaolin, in the glass and
earthenware schedule, has been placed
at the old Mckinley figure, but there
the legislators have come to halt.
They cannot agree on the rates for
china and earthenware. The raw mud
is easily disposed OF, bnt the manufac
tured article is a poser.
The farmer is to be taken care of
this time. The republican party heard
too much in the last campaign about
how little was done for the farmer. So
the agricultural schedule has received
particular attention. A tax is laid on
everything the farmer grows, but the
cattlemen of the West can import
Mexican cattle to their hearts content
at half the prices Major Mckinley
charged.
Woods, cottons and silks are still in
the balance. There is where the rub
comes, and there is where the specific
duties may come in. For it is a
noticeable feature of this new bill that
so far ad valorem duties predominant.
The administrative part Of the new
law will differ greatly from the present
This has been made necessary by the
change, in some instances at least,
from an ad valorem to specific basis.
The committee las been working in
secret. 1t has hidden itself away.
Representatives of various interests
have tried in vain to learn the fate of
the schedules in which they are inter-
ested. The chief changes in the
various schedules so far made are given
below.
The committee has no intention of
touching internal revenue taxation in
connection with the new bill. This is
following Speaker Resd's view of the
situation and will be adhered to.
The rates indicated have been de-
cided on, and stand as given up to this
date. The publication will likely
bring in a storm of protests from every
interest which is getting only part of
what it demanded. Enough influence
may be brought to change the rates on
certain items.
Those parts that will effect FL Paso
mostly are the following:
LIVE ANIMALS.
The present law groups all live
animals under the comprehensive
head, and lays duty of 20 per cent ad
valorem. The new law provides thus:
Horses and mules $40 per head, pro-
vided that horses valued at 800 and
over shall pay duty Of % per centum
ad valorem.
Cattle, more than one year old s.
per head; and year old or less, 81 per
head.
Hogs, 81 so per head.
Sheep one year old or more, 81. 80
per head; less than one year old IS
cents per head.
All other live animals, not specially
provided for in this act, 20pe centum
ad valorem.
LEAD PRODUCTS.
WHITE lead and white paint and
pigment containing lead, dry or in
pulp, or ground or mixed with oil, in
creased from II per cent per pound to
% cents.
RED LEAD 2t cents per pound, an
increase over the present rate of 1
cent.
OPIUM, aqueous extract of, for me-
dicinal uses, aud tincture of, as laudu-
mum, and all other liquid preparations
of opium, not specially provided for 4 IN
this act,20 per centum ad volorem.
OPIUM, containing less than 9 per
centum of morphia, and opium prepar-
ed for smoking, S6 per pound, but
opium prepared for smoking and other
preparations of opium deposited in
bonded warehouse shall not be remov-
ed therefrom without payment of
duties, and such duties shall not be re-
funded.
FRUITS AND NUTS.
The duties on fruits and nuts have
L. ia1l hu