The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-13
WILL REMOVE TARIFF
COAL TO BE ADMITTED WITH
 OUT DUTY.
Congress Expected to Pass Meas ure Providing for Rebate of Customs--Er. Hills Plan Re-
 ceived Favorably. -

Washington. Jan. 12.-It Is expected that Congress will pass a bill removing the duty of 67 cents ton on coal imported into this country. This bill may take the form of rebate or drawback for ninety days. and also will provide for reciproc- ity. admitting free of duty coal imported into this country from countries granting the same privilege to the United States. This means Canada will permit Nova Scotia coal to come into the United States free. while coal from the Alleghenies and westward will go into Canada free of duty.
 The Ways and Means Committee will meet tomorrow, and, according to the present program report a bill on the above iines.It is expected it will pass the House tomorrow. It will be taken up in the Senate very soon and the intention Is to have 1t pass without much delay. Its consideration in the Senate has not been arranged for, but efforts are making to expedite it's passage without amendment and with little discussion.
 A number of Republicans who hereto fore have been opposed to changing the duty orr coal said they would not oppose the bill provided 1t did not open the whole tariff question.
 There has been some general talk about an agreement to pass such a bill without opening up the tariff question and the Republican leaders expect the House bill will be passed promptly by the Senate.
 There was a conference on the floor oI the Senate today participated in by Sen ators Afdrich. Allison, Spooner and Lodge and Chairman Payne of the House Com mittee on Ways and Means. After this conference Senator Aldrich announced in the Senate, when a resolution by Senator Vest for the removal of duty on coal came up, that he believed there would be action elsewhere regarding the re- moval of the duty" He did not think the Senate should initiate such legislation.
 Among the bills before the House Ways and Means Committee affecting the duty on coal is one introduced early in the ses- sion by Representative Hill of Connecti- cut. This bill is receiving the serious and favorable consideration of the Com mittee. It provides as follows:
 That there shall be allowed and paid under such regulation as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe on all coal of every kind and form imported into any port on the Atlantic coast. a draw back of the import duties paid on the
  June. 1903."
 This act Is to take effect immediately upon its passage.
 Another Dill, introduced by Representa- tive Mccall (Mass) suspends the colec- ton of duties on coal for ninety days. MT. Mccall and Senator Lodge had a talk on the House side late in the day.
 One member of the Ways and Means Committee said 1t was immaterial wheth- CT a bill to suspend the collection of du- ties. or one providing for a rebate. was adopted since both have the same effect. and that it would be only a matter of method, but he inclined to the view that rebate bill would be preferable. A number of bills have been introduced in the House and referred to the Ways and Means Committee which provide for the repeal of all duties upon coal of all kinds imported into the United States. There is still another bill providing for a re- ciprocal trade relation between the Uni ted States and Canada on coal. It Is not stated whether this last bill Is to he con sidered tomorrow with the rebate and suspension measures.