New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-05
FRAMING THE TARIFF BILL.
WORK ON THE NEW MEASURE NEARLY
HALF COMPLETED

LIcAN MEMBERS OF THE WAYS AND MEANS
> CoMMrTTEE-THE SCHEDULES con-
sIDERED AND THE RATES De-
cIDED UPON Up TO DATE.
Washington. Feb. 4.-The work OF framing the
new tariff law has been well advanced by the
Republican members OF the Ways and Means
Committee. and the United Associated Presses
Is to-day enabled to report the progress with the
leading schedules. The chemical schedule. which
comes first on the list; the earthenware and glass
schedule, the metal schedule and the cotton
schedule have all been put In tentative form,
with some controverted questions still open. and
the agricultural schedule was nearly finished to-
day. The wine and spirit schedule has not yet
been passed upon by the full committee. but will
follow substantially the Mckinley rates.
The agricultural schedule OF the Mckinley bill
has been adopted almost without the erasure Of
llne One Of the most important changes is on
live cattle. which are covered by blanket pro-
vision Of the existing law for all live animals at
~ per cent al valorem. The rate under the new
law will be s. head on cattle more than one
year old and % per cent al valorem on cattle
valued above 500. This is thought to establish a
more equitable rate than the Mckinley law,
which imposed SO a head on all cattle more than
one year old. without regard to value, and is re-
garded as sufficiently protective against the i'm
portation OF Mexican cattle
The rate on barley is the Mckinley rate OF 30
cents bushel. which was demanded by the
American barley growers. Hay Is put at 81 a
ton. the same as in the Mckinley law and hops
at ID cents a pound. which is also an extract
from the Mckinley law. Vegetables all go back
to the Mckinley rates. potatoes being put at -
10 h,,oh aI q Oh
ell. Other items on which Mckinley rates are re-
stored are salt, II cents a hundred pounds in
packages and cents when in bulk: starch.
cents pound; salt meats. % per cent; meat ex-
tracts, 30 cents pound milk. 3 cents gallon.
and poultry 20 per cent Eggs go back to 3
cents Dozen and berries to the old Mckinley
rate. Oranges and lemons will be adjusted In
manner to meet the wishes OF the California
fruit-growers. The rates have not yet been abso-
lutely fixed. but will involve a different classih-
cation from that OF the Mckinley law.
Under the chemical schedule. soap made of
caustc of soda and kindred chemicals remains
at the rate fixed in the Wilson law which is
considered sufficiently protective The principal
oils are left at existing rates, except in the
Of linseed and faxseed oil. where an advance
was required because Of the restoration Of the
Mckinley duties on the material Refined
borax is advanced from cents to 3 cents a
pound, which is somewhat under the Mckinley
rate. Borac,c acid remains at 3 cents pound
the rate fixed by existing Law, while borate OF
lime is increased to cents a pound There are
only slight changes In dye stuffs and their ee-
ments Lead in ores is fixed at / cent pound:
pig lead at 2 cents, and white lead and lead
acetates at 2a cents These rates are consider
ably less than those of the Mckinley law Caste
oil is left at 30 cents gallon. the rate fixed
under existing law.
The cotton schedule has not yet been COM
pleted. but there will he few changes, except
on the fine yarns and the costly fabrics. The
schedule was satisfactory In it's construction
to many of the manufacturers when 1t was put
in its present form, and they are asking only
minor changes. Wines and spirits will be made
satisfactory, IL possible, to the California grape
growers and manufacturers. but, as Indicated
his can be accomplished by the restoration Of
the Mckinley rates.
The iron and steel schedule. like cottons. was
left in a fairly satisfactory condition to the
manufacturers by the present law. and will
not be changed except on a few special articles
like tinplate and cotton ties. and some forms
OF tube steel. There may be changes Also on
the more finished articles Of manufacture, like
surgical instruments and tools. but the advances
will not be large. The duty on steel rails has
not yet been fixed, and the committee will en-
deavor TO obtain some further data before
adopting II.
The earthenware schedule is also incomplete,
but will be put on a firm protective basis. The
rates on decorated china were put exceptionally
low IN the present law, because of irritation
between the manufacturers and their employees
The new rates will be specific, so far as prac-
ticable, and plate glass will be subjected TO
some advances. Glass above n by 30 inches
and not exceeding ~ by 6U inches will be left
at the present rate of 22l3 cents square foot.
The next higher size will also remain at the
present rate OF 50 cents a foot The smaller
sizes OF plate glass are advanced from to 3
cents a foot when not exceeding IL by ~ inches.
and from to II cents foot when not ex-
ceeding "a by 80 inches square.
The members Of the committee have talked
over few of the other schedules. but have
not yet reached definite results. They are wait
ng for the meeting Of wool-growers and wool
here next week before deciding
On the rates on these articles. rate OF 5
cents a pound on all classes of wool has been
suggested a profitable compromise the
'aw product.
The progress made by the committee indicates
hat the bill will be well advanced by the close
II the present session March I. in spite OF
he fact that some puzZng questions remain
o be dealt with. Leading members to-day ex-
pressed great satisfaction at the progress al.
eady made which covers nearly one-half of the
printed text Of the tariff schedules.