Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-07
PHILIPPINE TARIFF RATES
War Department, Receives Copy Of First
Complete Schedule
CLASSIFICATION SIMILAR TO CuBEs
Revenue the object. hut Discrimina-
tion Literally Made between Lux
uries aud Necessities-Coai
and OIL iilustrntions

! WASHINGTON. March CA copy of the
| proposed Philippine tarif schedule, as rec.
! commended by the Philippine commission
has been forwarded TO the War department
In his letter OF transmittal Judge Taft calls
attention to the fact that the bill in It's
entirety has never before been printed. ns
publications heretofore having been very
scant and inaccurate. The classification OF
the Cuban tarif has been followed in the
main.
In two cases only, throughout the entire
Dill. are ad valorem duties assessed, namely
on crude materials and on goods not else.
I Wnere provided for, at 10 and 25 per cent
! respectively. This is entirely satisfactory
| TO the business interests in the Philip.
pines. 1t is stated, as the Just and proper
| appraisement of imported merchandise is
entirely beyond the existing customs sery-
ice, and the mercantile classes are disposed
to accept any tariff which the commission
proposes, provided the duties are all specific
Throughout the bill the question Of rev.
enue has been kept steadily in view. The
necessary products. raw materials OF Philip.
pine industries. tools, implements and ma
chlnery of production, the materials OF
transportation by land and sea. and the
producers and transmitters OF power have
Consumers Conditions Influential
To manufactured goods and articles have
been assigned rates graduated to the means
ana necessities of the consumers. due re-
gard being had to the many existing in
dustries and to those which must be in
evitaoly introduced in the near future.
Luxuries, whether in beverages, food. cloth
ing. carriages or ornaments. have been
highly fe ka
production Of the most revenue. Kerosene
oil, which is even now cheaper than the
native eocoanut oil, has been reduced to
point which, in the opinion OF the COM
mission, will cause the greatest importa-
tion and the largest revenue
The duty on coal has been reduced so
per cent. on crude petroleum, which, Il is
stated, owing to the great and still advanc-
ing prices OF coal must soon come into use
as fuel. the duty has been reduced to
almost nominal rate. Building materials
OF every description and all industrial ma
chinery bear but little burden. The schemes
OF duties on jewelry and mounted precious
stones, 1t is believed will fairly adjust
specific duties according to the values. and
viii greatly increase the income therefrom.
The tariff on watches is so regulated as to
greatly reduce the present prices OF the
lower grades. The present tariff taxes all
gold watches at 1925. and all others at
N.Si. Under the new bill the cheapest
watch unjeweled is charged IS cents and
the cheapest jeweled watch in a silver case
will pay 80 cents.
Dressed leather, boots and shoes, hard
rubber goods and waterproof stufs are
moderately taxed In tissues Of cotton and
linen the heavily weighted goods are
greatly reduced The earths and sizing in
troduced into these articles by some manu-
facturers to make weight and give a de-
ceptive finish must be removed by washing
and drying before assessing the duty. silks
have been raised about so per cent.
Easy on Food Products.
All food products and canned goods have
come in for large reduction. The duty on
wheat -four has been reduced largely.
AS TO exports, the tax on abaca has been
doubled and as 1t cannot be produced else
where the revenues resulting. IL is stated,
can be increased without being burdensome
in the Philippines On copra also increased
demand and price has led to the belief that
a tax similar to that on abaca can be
levied without appreciably affecting the
producer or burdening his power OF COM
petition.
Judge Taft calls especial attention to
the term met weight as it Is used in the
bill. Except as to certain cotton yarns,
net weight" signifies the actual weight
OF the imported merchandise proper, with
out packing, container or anything else
used in preparing the goods for transporta-
tion.
I-Ca ar'c nj I,yar