The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1905-12-20
Great Interest
IN SENATOR meCREARY's TARIFF BILL

A special from Washington to Sat
urday evenings Louisville Times says:
Since the President, in his message
to Congress, all but failed to mention
the tariff question and there is ten
dency upon the part of majority of
the influential Republicans in the two
houses to dodge the issue at this ses
sion, considerable interest centers in
the tariff measures which have been
offered with a view to bringing the
tariff question before Congress and as
certaining how the members stard.
The Lodge bill. offered several days
ago, was followed by bill by Senator
McCreary, of Kentucky, which in the
opinion of the Democrats, is a much
better measure than the one which
preceded it in the Senate. The Nc
Creary bill is in full as follows:
Re it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assem-
bled, That an act to provide revenues
for the Government and to encourage
the industries of the United States,
approved July "a, 1897, be, and the
same is hereby, amended SO that on
and after the passage of this act there
shall be levied, collected and paid upon
all articles imported from foreign
countries into the United States instead
OF existing tariff schedules as provided
IN that act, a rate equal to three-fourths
OF the present duties or taxes required
to be levied, collected and paid.
Sec. 2. That this act shall be in
force from after its passage.
M'CREARY DISCUSSES TARIFF.
Senator McCreary said, when asked
Tor statement as to the bill he had
offered:
81 am aware that all bills for raising
revenue should originate in the House,
but several tariff bills have been intro
duced in the Senate at this session
They are insufficient. or apply only to
one or two articles. The bill 1 have
offered to reduce all tariff schedules is
in the right direction, and is mainly
with view to testing the temper and
sentiments of both Congress aud the
country Oh the question of doing
something toward reducing the most
burdensome tariff in the world, which
has done so much to establish trusts
and gratis in our country.
II am in favor of greater reduction
than L have provided for in the bill,
but We can only hope to gradually re-
duce the tariff, and am seeking to give
Republicans, who are sincere in their
desire to reduce the tariff, an oppor-
tunity to help start the good work,
with the aid of Democrats. l am seek
ing also to throw the burden of the
failure TO act upon the Republican
majority in Congress, and show the
humbuggery of certain Republicans
who are continually making assertions
in favor Of the reduction o; the tariff
duties, and yet do nothing.
FOREIGN COUNTRIES HETALIATE.
"rhere is another great and impor-
tant reason. A new and dangerous re-
suit of the high protective tariff law
of our country has lately appeared in
retaliatory tariff laws enacted by vari-
ors nations of Europe, notably, Ger
many and France, which nations, ex-
cept Great Britain, are the largest pur-
chasers of American products.
France passed her new tariff law in
1904, which provides for maximum
and minimum rate. She has imposed
her maximum rate upon the products
of the United States. Germany has
notified the United States that her new
tariff law will be in force the first OF
next March. 1t provides for a conven-
tional tariff law will be in force the
first of next March. 1t provides for a
conventional tariff applied to nations
with which Germany has commercial
or reciprocity relations, and an auto
nimOus tariff to be applied to nations
with which she has no commercial
treaties or reciprocity relations. The
highest tariff rate will be imposed on
the products of the United States. I'M
less something is done to remedy the
threatened situation, which may prac-
tically close some of the best markets
of the world for American products"
POSITION ENDORSED BY MANY.
The position taken by Senator Nc
Creary is Endorsed by prominent DEM
Gratis, and, as has been said in these dis
patches before, some OF the best in
formed Republican members of the two
houses are of the opinion that tariff re
vision is commercial necessity which
this session of Congress cannot afford
to overlook, and which, if it is ever
looked by Republican Congress, will
be considered such an important mat
ter by the voters that a Democratic
Congress will be sent to Washington
next session to enact legislation which
Republicans have realised 20 enact.