Evening star., 1902-03-21
B E E T s u G. A R M E N
MICHIGAN DELEGATION WILL
VOTE AGAINST RECIPROCITY.
Report of Manufacturers on Babcock
Tariff Revision Bill-Minnesota
Delegation May Join.

The Michigan delegation in the House,
numbering twelve representatives, have
notified Chairman Payne that they will
vote against the Cuban reciprocity bill to
the last. The California and Washington
delegations will probably pursue the same
course.
The House leaders hope to secure re-
publican votes equal In number to re-
publican majority of the House, so that
the bill may be said to have passed with
out the aid of democrats. There is no
question of the bill passing however.
The ways and means leaders are very
anxious to ascertain the strength Of the
tariff revisloniSts. Some very emphatic
threats have been made that the reduc-
tion Of the sugar tariff shall not be made
unless there are reductions of the schedules
in which the great trusts are interested
iron, steel, glass, wood pulp etc. The
way the House leaders have the legislative
program arranged. however, it will be diff
ficult for the revisonists to break the lines
without democratic aid.
The Babcock Revision Bill.
Members of the House have received
copies Of a report on the Babcock revision
bill made by special committee of the
Manufacturers Association of New York.
The report is as follows:
Your committee, to whom was referred
the H. R. bill 9O56 Of the Fifty-seventh
Congress. first session Cknown as the Bah
cock biiD. would report that this bill is a
modification Of the H. r. bill 14146 Of the
F1fty-siXth Congress, second session, and
that it reduces the present custom duties
on nearly all varieties Of the crude shapes
of iron and steel, an average Of 80 per cent,
and adds to the free list more advanced
.v>frr ri hos In1I
ingots, beams. channels, plates, tee rails,
etc. (Which are generally regarded as the
steel trust prOducts).
"The bill will, we believe, protect the
wage prices of the capable mechanics and
assist the manufa cturers Of the United
States In the attempt to obtain and retain
the market for our surplus goods of the
higher grades. and continue here the era
of good times when all who honestly want
work may have it at prices better than any
where else In the world
While we do not believe that the product
of any organization should be selected for
a reduction of their legitimate profits, yet:
when one company controls the market OF
the United States and Is able to declare
profits by reason of the protection custom
duties In excess of the amount considered
time has come when these dulles should be
gradually lowered at such rate that other
iiEes of business depending On.the products.
on which the duties are lowered, may not
DO thFOWA lAIO conluS104.
Your committee, when the previous bill
was referred to them, held an open meet
Ing to hear the interested napbers, but, as
previously stated, there was "a very small
attendance considering the importance ot
the subject, and the opinion sef your COM
mittee then formed aftef discussion ap
plies to this bill. and we would offer the fol-
lowing:
Resolved. That the Manufacturers Asso-
citation of New York faxors the passage OF
the present H. R. bill eo66 (known as the
Babcock bilO, believinEs that sthe interests
OF the manufacturers aof the country. as
well as OF the workinguDen, VIII be advanc-
ed by this modification IN the tariff bill Of
1897. particularly Il 1t will assist In the
work of reciprocity to which this assocla-
tion stands committed"
Encouraged by Senators.
The Michigan Representatives conferred
today with the two senators from that
state and the decision wassreached to fight
the reciprocity bM without ceasing. The
senators encouraged the House delegation
to oppose the bill at every point and do
everything IN theaE porper aeainat It.
Some members. 06 the Nianeta delesa-
tion have Joined the lfichigan npa. and. 1t
Is said. Will 04er omenduent6s ~ remove
the protection which the sugar afuet now
eniOya on refined ata1rp