New-York tribune., 1908-12-25
No MINORITY MEASURE
DEMOCRATIC FRAUERS OF
TARIFF SATISFIED.
Convinced Republican Colleagues
4re Uorhing Conscientiously-
ReUenue Feature Not Neglected..
From TIE Tribune Bureau

Washington. Dec 24-The Democratic men,
bers of the Ways and Means Committee are so
thoroughly convinced that their Republican as
soclates intend TO report consCtentiously pre-
ed tariff bill material different from the
Dingley bill. that they have no intention Of pre-
pairing minority measure to be offered for the
substitute for the Payne bill on the floor They
emulating the example of the Repu1-
Iicans porfng over the mass Of evidence which
has accumulated during the last six weeks
with view to discovering the most vulnerable
points in the Dingley tariff and preparing them
selves cor debate on the question when the
new bill comes before the House.
The Democrats earnestly hope that the ne~
bill will contain radical reductions when it
comes from the hands Of the committee. They
are confident that the steel schedule will be
lowered that lumber and wood pulp will 60 IN
the free list and that the wooIIen schedule with
its great protection to American manufact-
urers viii be reduced In fact, the leaders Of
the minority have given the committee credit
for working in entire good faith in attemptia5
to hear all important witnesses and secure all
valuable testimony That is why time will
be wasted by the Democrats. according to the
present plan, in drafting a minority tariff bill
The course to De pursued. as outlined by Rep
resentative Clark, will not be one of destructive
criticism. but an attempt to improve the bill
from q Democratic point Of view by urging
pertinent amendments.
That the tariff is entirely local question,
bounded by the lines of the various states, was
the opinion expressed to-day by Representative
Hinshaw. of Nebraska
IF the West really desires tariff revision"
said Mr.. Hinshaw. 1t can prove it by coming
forward and announcing its willingness to give
up the duty beet sugar and hides. The peo-
pie in my state want free lumber above all
things, and after that free steel and iron Then
they demand that they be given free hides,
which are produced in the West in large guam
titles. For my part 1 would vote for free hides
and a big reduction in sugar, and not GER
tain that several other Western members would
not do likewise We are sincere in our demand
for revision, and believe that if the commit
tee brings in a bill which is supported by the
evidence adduced there will be difficulty in
passing 1t. What the country wants TO be sure
Of. and what the Ways and Means Committee is
seeking, is the elimination Of any prohibttory
duties imposed by the Dingley law"
The tariff trainers met again to-day 70 con-
tinue the work Of preparing a tariff bill TO be
presented 10 Congress at the special session to
be called in March. While protection to indus
tries which must compete with cheap labor
abroad viii be the keynote OF the revised tariff.
much consideration viii be given to the ques-
tions of raising sufficient revenue for the gov
Ways and Means Committee is wasting no time
in drawing up the bill. and it win resume
its programme Of daily meetings on Monday
The revenue feature involves more difficult
problems than either the protective other
phases Of the tariff revision question 1t IS
serted by some that the government has been
deprived Of millions of dollars of revenue during
the operation of the Dingley sarif because Of
the numerous changes made in the bill after il
passed the House Of Representatives Those
changes we're made principally in the wording
Of the bin rather than in the rates Of duty. 1t
is reported that some large interests which may
be affected by the new tariff law reported to
the House will make d strong fight when the bill
reaches the Senate In this case it IS understood
that Presdent-eect Taft will endeavOr to have
the bill 90 through the Senate as it comes from
the House 1t is also said that Mr.. Taft will
veto the bill if the Senate makes too many
changes tending to increase the rates of duty
one case in point where the Senate amended
the DfngIey bill as reported from the House in
1897 was brought out in a humorous incident at
the hearings several weeks ago. Senator Hale,
Of Maine appeared to ask that tapioca starch.
now on the free list. should pay IL cents a
pound Chairman Payne called Mr.. Hale's at
tentiou 10 the fact that tapioca was made duti-
able at that rate in the Dngley bill it left the
House and that the Senate struck out the para
graph and left tapioca il appears In the law
now. on the free list 1t is probable that the
pr assessing a duty of ii2 cents a pound
on starch will he so changed as to include tapi-
oca when used for starchng. sizing or filing.