New-York tribune., 1902-01-15
BABCOCK'S NEW TARIFF BILL
FREE TRADE IN SOME IRON AND STEEL
PRODUCTS, AND REDUCED DU-
TIES ON OTHERS.

washington jan 14.-Representative Bab-
COCK OF Wisconsin, to-day introduced bill
placing number of articles of the iron and
steel schedule on the free list. and materially
reducing the duties on other articles throughout
the schedule. The presentation of this bill has
been awaited with much interest, owing to the
attention aroused last year by somewhat SIM
lar Dill, and Mr.. Babcock's position both a
Republican member of the Wavs and Means
committee and chairman of the Republican
Congressional Committee. The bill is more
tended than that of last year. and was drawn af-
ter conferences and correspondence with the steel
ana iron interests. the purpose being to place
the rates on a strictly protective basis The
articles placed the free list the heavy
products of the furnace, while the rates on other
articles of the schedule average about one-half
the present duties.
Mr.. Babcock made the following statement
summarizing his bill:
The bill introduced affects only, the iron and
steel schedule of the Dingley act. 1t diners from
me @Ine one presented last session In seEerdi I'M n
portant features. The former bill was intended TO
Means Committee this schedule generally, but
was not in shape to pass without full considera-
This bill on the other hand. has been drawn
with care, and attempts meet present conditions
inteligently 1t is effort maintain the theory
or protection in accordance with the best Repuo-
coming responsible by non-action for schedules
that have been outgrown by changed conditions
and are made use of by combinations to eXtort un-
reasonable prices from domestic consumers.
The bill represents the views of many intelligent
men, VINO are themselves Interested in the steel
ndustry and who are experts in all matters toucn-
ing this subject. | have also had the aid of eX-
perts from the Treasury Department in analyzln8
existing laws and IN framing this bill, and believe
Il Is IN shape to pass without opening up the gen.
eral tariff question.
/ have placed the heavy products of the furnace
on the free list, such iron and steel In SLABS,
blooms. loops beams, girders. joiss and all struct
ural iron or steel. boiler and ship plates, steel
rails, steel ingotS bilets and bars. -
The steel and iron schedule is very complicated,
ana the placing of these articles on the rree nSt
required the TeadjuStment of nearly all of the
paragraphs in Schedule c. After numerous con-
ferenceS with iron and steel manufacturers, these
paragraphs have been amended upon strictly pro-
teCtive lines; that is, each article is given full pro-
lection compared with the cost of production In
other countries which still leaves a margin in our
favor For instance. tin is quoted free on board
81. have reduced the Dingley rates from 81 90 70
81, which would equaliZe the price and leave the
foreigner to pay the cost of transportation and IN
surance in order sell tin in this market
1t does away In certain paragraphs with the high
rates which necessary a few years ago, and
brings the schedules into line with the changed
conditions
y | have been especially careful not to reduce
schedule where labor the greatest part of the
cost of the article and there is single item in
shall go the free list whether IL remains on
the dutiable list that will in any way affect labor
The whole bill is in line with the Republican pro
tective policy advocated in the national plat
dent Mckinley. 1t affords ample and full protec-
tion where IL is necessary and places on the free
list those articles that produced here cheaper
than they can be in foreign countries.