Evening star., 1902-01-14
Mr.. BABCOCK'S BILL
Introduced in the House Of Repre-
sentatiVes Today.
AFFECTS IRON AND STEEL SCHEDULE
Reductions on These From the
DingIey Tariff Rates.
On FREE LIST

day introduced in the House a bill to re-
duce the tariff duties on certain articles
covered by the metal schedule of the Ding
ley tariff act. The general purpose Of the
bin is explained by the following statement
made by Mr.. Babcock TO "A Star reporter
this afternoon:
Affects Only Iron and Steel Trade.
THE bill / introduced affects only the
iron and steel schedule of the Dingley act.
1t differs from the one l presented last ses-
sion in several important features. The
former bill was intended to call the atten-
tion of Congress and the ways and means
committee to this schedule generally. but
was not in shape to pass without full con-
sideration.
This BILL on the other hand. has been
drawn with care. and attempts to meet
present conditions inteligenty. 1t is an ef-
fort to maintain the theory of protection in
accordance with the best republican tradi-
tions, and to prevent the party from be-
coming responsible, by non-action, for
schedules that have been outgrown by
changed conditions and are made use of by
combinations to eXtort unreasonable prices
from domestic consumers.
THE bill represents the views Of many
Intelligent men who are themselves Inter
ested in the steel industry. and who are ex-
perts in all matters t0uching this subject
L have also had the aid of experts from
the Treasury Department in analyzing Ca
listing laws and in framing this bin, and be-
lieve it is in shape to 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, girdsrs,
joists and all structural iron or ste IL boiler
and ship plates, steel rails, steel ing0ts, bill
lets and bars. The steel and iron schedule
is very complicated, and the placing OF
these articles on the free list required the
readjustment of nearly all of the para
graphs in schedule c. After numerous con-
ferences with iron and steel manufactur nrs,
these paragraphs have been amended g.on
strictly protective lines; that is, each Sr-
ticle is given full protection, compared
with the cost Of production In other couR-
tries, which still leaves margin in our
favor.
For instance tin is quoted f. o. b. in
England at s. per boX;the price in PittsbUrg
is 81. have reduced the Dingley rates from
S1.50 to 81, which would equalize the price
and leave the foreigner to pay the cost z
transportation and insurance in order to
sell tin in this market II does away in Ger
tain paragraphs with the high rates wn.ch
were necessary few years ago, and brings
the schedules into line with the changed
conditions.
4 have been especially careful not TO e.
duce schedule where labor was the great
est part of the cost Of the article, and there
is not q single item in the entire ON,
whether 1T provides that the article shall
go on the free list or whether il remains on
the dutiable list, that will in any way affect
labor.
THE whole bill is in line with the republi-
can protective policy, as advocated In the
national Platforms and by it's greatest
champion, the late President Mckinley. Il
affords ample and fun protection where IL
is necessary, and places on the free list
those articles that are produced here
cheaper than they can be in foreign coun-
tries"
Following are the detailed provisions Of
the bill, with comparisons of important
items with the rates of the Wilson and the
Mckinley bill:
The bill repeals paragraph 100 Of the
metal schedule of the Dingley tariff act.
which puts a tariff Of 7-20 Of one cent per
pound on steel and iron rails. and 4-I0
cents per pound fish plates and splice
bars. These are placed on the free list by
the new bill.
On the Free List.
The bill also places on the free Est the
following items of the metal schedule: All
iron in slabs, blooms, loops, or other forms
less finished than iron in bars, and more
advanced than pig iron (these goods now
dutiable at $40 cent per pound; beams
girders joists, angles, channels, car-truck
channels, L 7, columns and posts or parts
or sections of columns and posts, deck and
bulb beams and building forms, together
with all other structural shapes of iron or
steel, whether plain or punched, or fitted for
use now dutiable at 5-10 of one cent per
pound; boiler or other plate iron steel
otherwise provided for. not thinner than
number 10 wire gauge, sheared or un-
sheared and slelp iron or steel sheared or
rolled in grooves valued at 11a cents per
pound or less now dutiable at from $40
to clio cents per pound); steel ingots
cogged ingots, blooms, slabs, billets, bars
and tapered or beVeied bars except crucible
steel otherwise provided for now dutiable
at from 3-10 cents per pound TO 7-10 cents
per pound.
The metal schedules of the Dinley act are
proposed to be amended by the new bill as
follows:
Paragraph 122. pig iron, kentlege ferro-
manganese, ferro silicon, wrought and cast
scrap iron and scrap steel, reduced from 81
per ton. the present duty, to- 50 per ton.
Under the Wilson tariff they paid 81 per
ton, and under the Mckinley bin So per ton.
Paragraph 12S, bar iron and square iron,
as designated. reduced from Clio to $40
cents per pound NNilson act, 6-10 of cent;
Mckinley act $40 to cent per pound).
Paragraph 124, round iron in coils rods
less than ZIG inches in diameter reduced
from $40 to 40 cents per pound (Nilson
act, $40; Mckinley act, 1 1-10).
That all iron bars. blooms, biilets or
sizes or shapes of any kind. in the manu-
shall be subject to a duty of S12 per ton
(no change).
Boiler Iron or Steel.
Paragraph 12s, boiler or other plate iron
or steel, except cvucible plate steel and
saw plates not thinner than No 10 gauge
and skelp iron or steel sheared or rolled in
grooves. valued at over 1 $40 cents per
pound, Is per cent ad valorem (this is a
change from partial specific to a general
ad valorem rate, and is a reduction)
Paragraph 12s, hoop, band or scroll iron
or steel, not otherwise provided for in this
act, valued at three cents per pound OF
less, eight inches or less in width. and less
than three-eighths of one inch thick and
not thinner than number ten wire gauge
reduced from 5-10 to Ia of one cent per
pound; thinner than No. 10 wire gauge and
not thinner than No 20 wire gauge. re-
duced from clio to 3-10 of one cent per
pound; thinner than No. 20 wire gauge, re-
duced from s-1o to 4-10 of one cent per
pound No change in remainder of para ,
graph. These goods paid 80 per cent ad
valorem under the Wilson act and from one
cent to i BIO cents under the Mckinley
1oB
I29-Hoop or band iron. or hoop or band
steel, cut to lengths. or wholly partly
manufactured into hoops ties. coated
or not coated with paint any other
preparation, with or without buckles or
fastenings. for baling cotton or any other
commodity, reduced from BIO to u of one