The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-15
Lowers TARIFF ON
METAL SCHEDULE.
Wisconsin Representative Intro
duces Measure Providing for
Certain Reductions.

Washington. Jan. H.-Representative Bah
cock Of Wisconsin to-day introduced in the
House a bill to reduce the hrin duties on
certain articles covered by the metal sched-
ule of the Dingley tariff act. The general
purpose of the bill is explained by the fol-
lowing statement made by Mir. Babcock to-
day: The bill 1 introduced affects only
the iron and steel schedule CT the Dingiey
act. 1t differs from the one / presented
last session in several important features.
| The former bill was intended TO call the at
tention of Congress and the Ways and
Means Committee 10 this schedule general
y. but was rot in shape to pass without
full consideration.
This bill. on the other hand. has been
drawn with care, and temp to meet
present conditions intelligently. II is an
effort TO maintain the theory of protection
in accordance with the best Republican ira
ditions and to prevent the party from be-
coming responsible by nonact!on for sched-
ules that have been outgrown by changed
conditions and are made use Of by COM
b;natiOns to eXto-t unreasonable prices
from domestic consumers.
Consulted With Experts.
The bill represents the views OF many
intelligent men. who are themselves inter
estod in the steel Industry and Who are ex-
pertS in all matters touching this subject
L a d4St AIT i44t anu u experts rom me
Treasury Department in ana!yzinG existing
laws. and III framing this bill. and believe
II l. ia shape 70 pass without opening up
the general tariff question.
Il have placed the heavy products of the
furnace on the free list. such as iron and
steel in slabs. blooms. loops. beams, girdegs,
J4istS and all structural iron or steel. boiler
ana ship plates. steel rails. steel inSots.
b:llets and bars. The steel and iron Sched-
ule ia very complicated. and the placing of
these articles on the free list required the
reimbursement of nearly all of the para
graphs in schedule c. After numerous con-
these paragraphs have been amended upon
strictly protective lineS-that is. each ar
ticle is given fun protection. as compared
with the cost of production in other coun-
tries, which still leaves Il margin in our
favor.
Certain High Rates Abolished.
For instance, tin is quoted f. o. b. in
England at 81 per box: the price in Pits
burg is s.. have reduced the Dingley
rates from $l.J0 to 81. which would equaIize
the price and leave the foreigner to nav
the cost OF transportation and insurance in
order To sell lin in this market 1t docs
away in certain paragraphs with the hich
rates which were necessary 4 few years
ago ani brings the schedules into line with
thr charged conditions.
81 have been especially careful not to re-
dure 4 schedule where labor WAS fhe great
est part G tn cost of THO article. and
ttcra is rot a single item in thu entire bill.
go on tho free list. nr whe.fe- it remains
or the drtiable list. that will in any way
aft labor.
.'The whole bin is in lire with the Rk-ub- I
platforms ard by its greatest
the 'Gte President Mckinley. It
awCIe anf fUIl protection where It /
iS necessary. and nlacNa on tho free Est
those articles that are produced here
cheaper than they can be in foreign coua- |
tries"