New-York tribune., 1906-01-21
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
MAXIMUM TARIFF BILL.
LIKELY TO PASS HOUSE.
Opposition in Senate, Which Fears
Effects of Act at Present.
Fronn The Tribune Bureau)

Washington, Jan. 20.-The Speaker and the
leaders Of the House have determined TO press
for passage the McC1eary Maximum Tariff BILL
which provides for the assessment OF y Der
cent in addition to the rates imposed by the
Dingley act on imports from all countries whicn
do not accord TO imports from the United states
as low rates as are imposed on imports from any
other country and which further provides for
% per cent tariff on all goods now on the Tree
list when coming from such countries. With the
Speaker, the House leaders and Representative
McCleary who is a member Of the Ways ana
Means Committee. committed to this policy tins
success of the measure in the House probably Is
assured.
In the Senate. however. there has recently de-
veIoped some opposition to such legislation IL
is learned from an authoritative source that the
likelihood of coercing Germany, at which such
legislation would be chiefly directed into accord
ing to the United States it's conventional, or
minimum tariff rates. by such a course is re-
mote.
Members Of the Senate who have been study
ing the subject maintain that this is the view
| held by the Secretary OF State, as well as by
others who are in position iTlteIligently 10
Judge Of the probable effect OF the proposed leg
islatton.
Accepting this view of the situation. certain
| influential members Of the Senate point TO the
be simply to increase the tariff in certain in
stances on commodities on which. in the opin-.
ion of large number OF loyal Republicans, the
| Dlngley schedules should be lowered This
would apply to the iron and steel schedules. for
| instance, although it is widely admitted thar
| the tariff rates these products should Be
| lowered and only the detrimental effect on gem
| eraI business which would inevitably result from
| opening UP the tariff question warrants the
| continuance Of the present rates
| 1t has been pointed out that the McCIeary law
/ would enable this country to strike back al
Brazil, which country has increased the tariff
on American flour by imposing duty of %
per cent on Brazilian coffee; but it is be-
/ Ieved that while If the effect of such inposi-
! ton were to be immediate repeal of the in
| creased duty -four all would be well, II
Brazil were to persist in her present policy tho
| Democrats would take advantage OF the fact
to urge upon the farmers Of the country that
| they were being taxed their coffee without
any corresponding benefit And so, in the case
| of Germany, if that country did not imme-
diately yield the pressure of the United
/ States the farmer would find the market for his
livestock and farm products seriously curtailed,
while the manufactures of steel and other com
modities which the farmer cannot produce. and
| is compelled to buy, would be increased with.
| perhaps, a corresponding increase in cost
1t IS urged that there is an election coming
| on next fall and that we're The maximum and
minimum tariff law to fail OF the immediate
! accomplishment OF It's real purpose it could be
used with damaging effect in every Congress
district in which the tariff revision germ has OBJ
| tanned foothold. and for that reason some OF
| the most influential Senators are disposed 70
! regard the enactment of the measure at this
| time as inadvisabIe.
Those who take this view have adopted as
| their motto make haste slowly They urge
: that while the State Department exerts its best
| endeavor to accomplish a satisfactory conclu-
sion Of the present difficulties by diplomatic
| methods. Congress should keep its hands off at
| least for this session. They say that a few
| months after the new German tariff law which
! goes into effect on March l, has been in opera
| tion its effect be judged far better than
now IT, is predicted in some quarters. 1t
| results in grave hardship to the German
| sumer he can be relied upon to obtain the
| proper remedy. If, on the other hand the effect
Is seriously prejudicial to American interests,
remedy can then be more tntelIgentIy deV1Seu
and can be put in operation after the IAN cleo
tion when the public mind is at rest politically,
and when the new law can remain in force long
enough before another election TO afford tho
voters an opportunity TO judge accurately or
its results