Evening star., 1897-04-10
TARIFF BILL
Work on 1t Being Done by the Senate
Committee.
'OME CHANGES In THE SCHEDULES
May Take More Time Than at
First Expected.
DIFFICULTIES PRES SENTED

The republican members of the finance
committee have not yet got far enough
| along in their work on the tariff bill TO be
able TO estimate with any degree Of ac-
curacy the time within which they will
be able TO report the bill. They have been
through the bill once from beginning TO
end. making a preliminary survey. During
this survey of the bill no attempt was made
| TO decide on any schedule. the purpose be-
ing merely to get A thorough understand
ing of the measure il came from the
Senate.
There was then determination come
to as TO the Identical changes TO he made
in the schedule. but it was understood that
the entire bill will be revised a large num-
ber OF changes being necessary both in the
schedules and in the administrators cca-
lures of the measure Since then three or
four schedules have been taken up and
gone over, but rome has been 7omple ted
The cotton schedule mas been goa, through
most thoroughly. and is approximately
wrat it viii be when the bi is reported.
me changes are MT numerous. but are i'm
portant In This sch hcGule.
Oiher schedules were passed over tenn
porarily and Will be returned to before the
bill is finally agreed on. The chemical
schedule has been uader consideration for
TWO Gays. ana has been nearly gone over.
Policy of the Committee.
The policy OF the committee is to dis
pose of those schedules over which there
Is least controversy first. leaving the 9th
ers for more deliberate consideration. As
far as the committee has gone there has
been no general scheme OF reductions or
advances In rates. circumstances DETER
mlnlng the status OF each item. Some in
creases have been made. but in the ag-
gregate the reductions have been more
numerous, and The lulica fiops In,
bil when completed will carry am average,
rate lower Than that of the Dnglcy bill
nat The comm ittee is trying TO do il
TO make bill which will produce the most
revenue possible. and this is made of prime.
Importance IN advance even OF protection.
Inc purpose Is to secure all the pro-
lection possible without the sacrifice of
revenue. but the demands OF the govern
n-ent for revenue are the first things TO loo
considered, and IL VIII not he the policy
10 advance the duties beyond the revenue
point. or at least not far enough To cut off
revenue even for the sake OF protection
III Is not thought that il VIII he necessary
10 sacrtce any needed protection TO ac-
complsh this, but the committee will nor
he able 10 yield to all the demands made.
Tor protection which involves rates that
are practically prohibitory
The Problem Presented.
The problem presented iii the effort TO
construct a bill which viii provide as great
an amount of protection as is demanded by
the many interests involved and at the
same time VIII produce larg. enough
revenue 10 make up the deficiencies under
the existing Law is too difficult 20 admit of
hasty work. The committee are working
very diligently, dcVoting every hour Dos
sible to the consideration of the oill Yet
it is doubtful whether they will be able TO
report at as early date they antici-
pated.
They can hardly complete their work be-
fore the LIST of May if that soon After
all the labor they have devoted TO the mat
ter the most difficult problems are still
before them, and after each schedule has
been gone over ana amended the hill will
have TO he considered as a whole and esti-
mates made as to the revenue it viii pro-
duce The disposition of those who re-
Sponsibe for the bill appears to be to make
all possible concessions to western senators.
who are demanding high protection for raw
materials. But to make such increases of
duty as are demanded in every case would
involve corresponding compensatory in
creases in the duty on manufactured arti-
cles.
In making such compensatory increases
there would be danger of placing the tariff
beyond the point where revenue could be
produced, and this the committee will have
to guard against. After yielding to the de-
mands OF the western senators far as
possible without too great a sacrifice of
revenue the committee will undoubtedly
declare an utimatum. and make II a ques-
ZION of party loyalty for senators 10 sup
port the measure.
Will Pass the bill.
1t is not thought that when the question
comes to this point there will be found any
republican senator who will be willing to
sacrifice the measure in the interest OF
some particular product In which his sec
ton is interested. The committee cannot
confidently count upon being able to pass
the bill practically as they report II. 1t
was said today that the protests against
the restoration of duty on works OF art
were receiving careful consideration, and
that there is a possibility of their being
restored to the free list.
MR.. EVANS AssIsTANTs.