The news & observer., 1897-03-13

WI 80 ~E0uLe IN HAND
NANR-,,ACTUKES OF WOOL SAME
ASIN THE MCKINLEY ACT.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED
Gould Not Resolve Adva'orem Into
Specific Rates Little Rec pr ocitY
Anywhere and None with Canada
as 10 Farm Products


as 10 Farm Products
Washington. d. c., March 12.-After
swenty-four hours of work on the second
half of the wool schedule, that covering
manufactures of wool, the duties nave
been made practically repetition OF tle
rates of the Mckinley bill, Ihe NC
Kinley rates on raw woods having peeli
re-adopted, it was considered the on'
logical arrangement to adopt, also the
compensatory duties on mahulaclu,es
of wool of the Mckinley law; SO TINS
policy was followed There was an at
tempt made to change the al Valorehl
rates on woolen manufactures LII Inc
Mckinley act to specific, but such great
difficulties have been encountered that
the undertaking has been abandoned
for the time being at any rare, ana To-
night the tariff committee had practlcai-
ly decided to accept the Wool scheouie ol
the Mckinley act.
A committee of experts devoted some
time to the work of resolving the aa
yalorem factors of the wool schedule 10
corresponding specific rates, but the re-
suits of their labors proved so uhsalis-
factory to chairman Dingley that thc
scheme was rejected. 1t is possible tnat
the attempt will be renewed When the
bill is before the full Ways and Means
committee to change the ad yalorem fea-
lures of this schedule to equivalent spe-
c;6c rates. but the BID as it will be intro
duced into the House will contain the
Mckinley wool schedule without material
cbangas except in the classification of
xvools which were made yesterday. Rep
A.. fa ar
ests profess to be dissatisfied with the re-
adontion of the Mckinley rates on wool,
basing their complaint on the ground that
rr;cos of woods are much lower than they
wore when the Mckinley law was en-
acted. but members of the committee
think the point is not well taken.
Chairman Dingley says that the bill
will he ready TO be introduced in the
House Monday. The administrative fea-
+ures have not been drafted, nor has the
reciprocity scheme, although the fea-
tureg Of it are decided upon. These may
no presented as committee amendments
after the bill gets before the House. The
earthen-ware schedule is not yet COM
rleted The same difficulties have been
met In adjusting the rates on earthen-
ware that were involved in wooden goods,
the attempt to carry into effect the Re-
publican policy of replacing ad valorem
duties with specific. 1t has been found
almost impossible to determine upon
standards by which specific rates can be
levied on china and pottery goods, the
factors of decoration, weight and process
es of manufacture entering so largely
into the value of these goods, and it Is
quite probable that they will be placed
under the Mckinley schedule with some
inYmaterial change. The reciprocity prin-
ciple. which will be embodied in the bill,
will be that Of lower duties on certain
classes of goods in return for conces-
sions to certain lines of American goods.
The principal lines of goods on which du-
ties may be lowered by reciprocity treaties
will be sugar, champagnes, silks, gloves,
mineral waters, chickle much of which
is imported for chewing gum, and argot,
or crude tartar, which is one of the chief
ingredients Of baking powders.
The President viii be empowered by
the bill to enter into treaties by which
the duties viii materially be lowered on
importations of these goods from coun.
tries which make concessions to Ameri-
can cattle and other products. There will
be no reciprocity which involves placing
any important classes of imports on the
free list. nor any authority given the
executive to raise duties against imports
from countries which refuse to enter into
reciprocity treaties.
The reduction in the duty on sugar by
reciprocity will be one eight of cent
pound so that sugar coming from coun
tries which make reciprocity treaties with
the United States will be entered at 1l2
cents a pound. While the reduction
seems small, difference of 1212 cents
per hundred pounds is material one to
sugar importers. Most of the goods list
given above which are imported into the
United States come from Germany and
France, and it is the expectation Of the
committee that reciprocity on champagne,
silks and gloves will prove an inducement
TO those countries to abandon their policy
of discrimination against American beef
and pork. The hopes of the new Cana
dian administration for closer reciprocal
relations with the United States will be
defeated by the Dingley bill. The Lib
eral party, under Laurier's leadership,
has made closer commercial affiliations
with the United States. One Of its fore
most policies and one Of the first acts
of the administration was to send Messrs.
Cartwright and Davies to Washington
as commissioners to pave the way for re-
ciprocity Their mission has proven a
fruitless one because they desired to
omen the markets of this country to the
farm products Of Canada. In their in
foryiews with Chairman DingIey ana
other members Of the committee they
wore told. in diplomatic terms but en-
nhaficaIly. that the design Of the new
tariff bin would be to preserve the mar
lots of the United States to its farmers
L. nII ca