The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-29
HOPE FOR
 TARIFF REDUCTION The StandpatterS Show No
 Signs of Budging MACHINE IS 0BDURATE  House Members from Grain and Meat Producing Districts Fear for
 Their Jobs If There Is
 No Reduction.
MACHINE IS OBDURATE

Washington. January 2s.-(Speeial0 1.-Two months of the first session of the Fifty ninth Congress have passed and there is no evidence of the tariff standpatters reversing their decision not to allow a revision of the present law and a reduc- ton of the Dingley rates. The passage of the Philippine bill and the statehood bills in the House and discussions of the santo Domingo treaty and the Panama canal in the Senate have occupied the time of the lawmakers since the opening of tho session, and in four weeks the new German tariff law, which will vlr- tually close German markets to Ameri- can packing house products and cereals, will go into effect.
 Republican members of the House from the grain and meat producing districts are exceedingly anxious to see tariff legisla- ton enacted, as they fear defeat in the event that nothing along the line of tar iR reform is done at this session, but the republican machine, composed of Speaker Cannon, Grosvenor and Dalzell or the committee on rules, is determined
 
 by Mir Cannon.
 The German tariff of 1899 was modified in 1S9l-94 by the conclusion of commer- cial treaties through which the duties imposed upon imports from the most fa- vored nations were considerably re- duoed. The seven treaties, which to- gether constitute the conventional tariff, were concluded with Austria-Hungary. Belgium, Italy, Roumania, Russia, Ser via and Switzerland. Other countries which are granted by treaty the conven- tional tariff rates are Argentina, Bull garia, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France Greece, Guatemala, Hon duras, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Morocco, The Netherlands. Nicaragua. Paraguay Persia, Spain, Sweden Norway, the Unit ed States, Uruguay and Zanzibar, I'm ports from the French and Dutch colo nies, from German colonies and from parts of Germany not included in the cus- toms union are also admitted at the most favored nation rates.
 Commercial Treaty of 1900.
 The commercial treaty of 1900 between the United States and Germany guaran- teed, on the part of Germany, to main tain on imports from the United States rates conceded by the treaties of 1S91-94. This agreement will be abrogated on March 1. Notice was given by Germany in time to allow Congress to meet the situation be revising the Dingley sched- ule and making tariffs on German prod ucts low enough to cause Germany to make concessions in favor of American products.
 The new German tariff introduces a new principle into German tariff legisla- tion. It prescribes for cereals minimum rates below which duties may not be reduced by treaty.
 Imports from countries which subject German products to discriminatory treat ment may be burdened with a surtax equal to 100 per cent of the regular duty, or 100 per cent ad valorem, If such arti- cles are free tax of 50 per cent adval- orem may be imposed. The surtax in the case of dutiable articles is now limit ed to 50 per cent of the regular duty, while no provision is made for imposing a special tax on articles free of duty. Since 1894 cattle and fresh beef from the United States have been excluded from the German markets. but large quantities of packing house products from America have found market in Ger many.
 In 1904 (1gures on 1905 have. of course. not been made yet) the United States ex- ported 275000. 600 pounds of lard to Ger many. Belgium and the Netherlands, Most of this went to Germany. Accord ing to George V. Holmes, chief of the division of foreign markets. practically the only source of Germany's supply of | lard has been the United States. The abundant supply of corn in the hog rais- ing districts of the United States affords an advantage in the production of lard which no other country enjoys.
 Ohio oil Sold in Germany. Germany has been one of the large | buyers of American oleo oil, in which a $13,0O0 900 export business has been done annually, Germany taking about 14,000000 pounds of the product. Restrictive regu- lations have reduced the sale of hams in Germany, and the American hams go for the most part to England. American grain exports to Germany constitute an important factor in the trade of the Mississippi valley, and, in fact, of states between the Atlantic sea- board and the Rocky mountains. If the present United States tariff law stands, the German advance on import duty on grains from this country will close Ger man markets to American producers. Representative Mccleary of Minnesota, one of the tariff standpatters, has of fered bill to increase the Dingley rates % fper cent on products of all countries levying advanced rates on exports from the United States, and the members of his faction lean rather to his bill than to any measure to provide lower tar ifs.
 Revise the tariff or lose control of the House" said Representative Mccall of Massachusetts in speech some time ago.
 The statement of Mir Mccall Is looked upon by many anxious republican mem bers as prophetic, but the three men who control the House give no evidence ze lnta ffex4 fn 10 YNas apre fNf