The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-01
May Cary Real Reductions
Even Admitting Some Ar
ticIes on Free List
PROTECTED INTERESTS
ARE EXPECTED TO HOWL
Ways and Means Committee is Mad
and Will Ask Power To Force
Witnesses To Appear and
Give Evidence.

Washington, November 3O.-(Special)-
Information of a startling nature comes
from the ways and means committee to-
night. 1t is to the effect that the forth
coming Payne tariff bill will be a huge
surprise to the country in that the re-
duction which viii be made will be far
In excess of any that could have been
expected from this source. In fact there
may be free hides. free shoes free lum-
Der and free coal. A big cut is to be
made in the steel schedule. The sugar
dinerential may be removed. The reg
ular duty of course retained for revenue
purposes. The AK is to be welded with
a vim.
There is now no DOUBT that the max
imum and minimum system of tariff will
be adopted by the committee and in prac-
ficaily every instance the maximum will
c less than the Dingley rates.
republican member of the committee
gave this as his opinion tonight He
stated that the men who are advocating
increased duties or the maintenance of
the present rates have not submitted
single fact to justify their position and
that their arguments have been ridic-
ulous The committee, he added, is in
a position whence it cannot do otherwise
than make a reduction.
Taft-cannon Fight.
The Importance o. this turn in the
) 4Nss.sssrs, 4t4ss nsssf fe.ssscr So fer'f' rfr
Sc II extends to the Taft-Gannons diff
Guilty, indicating fully that the House
leadership will go every bit as far in
tariff reduction as Taft wants, thus elm
mating friction between the White House
and the southside of the capitol. What
the senate will do with such bill as
the House is now proposing remains to
be seen. Senator AIdrich will arrive
Wednesday and will confer with the
House republicans.
1t is reported that even Aldrich favors
greater reduction than had been re-
ported and will not lend his aid to d
policy contemplating 3 maintenance of
existing conditions
Howl Is Expected.
When the protected industries learn of
what the ways and means committee at
present has in store for them there will
be a howl all over the country and hund-
reds Of their representatives will sweep
down on Washington.
Should the republican leaders adhere
to their determination to report such
bill as they now have in mind these
men will be told that the responsibility
largely rests on the President-elect Those
who believe that the ways and means
committee has adopted a programme as
set forth above declare that it is due
in no small measure to a spirit of re-
venge on Judge Taft for letting it be
known that he was dissatisfied with the
reports emanating from the ways and
means committee that the reduction was
TO be of fake nature.
Thus the House leaders place the re-
sponsibility upon Judge Taft and refer
all complainants to the winter home of
the next President.
May Summon Witnesses.
Determined to bring before it those who
have criticised the hearings on<the pro-
posed revision of the tariff, and satisfied
that there is much important informa-
ZION to be obtained before the framing of
an impartial tariff bill can be undertaken.
the Ways and means committee of the
House will request Congress to authorize
tbe committee to subpoenae witnesses to
appear at supplementary hearings on the
tariff revision.
while the committee has been holding
sessions which have lasted late into the
night and although witnesses have in
most cases been unrestricted as to time
for the presentation of arguments, much
time has been wasted and too frequently
but one side of the question has been
presented to the committee. Witnesses
also have been in many cases unable to
furnish the committee with adequate in
formation as to comparative cost of labor
IN this country and abroad
j. W. Van Cleave, president of the Ma
+,onal Association of Manufacturers, and
ts TT. Miles, chairman of the tariff COM
yoittee of the same organization, have
freouently attacked the methods used by
+he wavs and means committee for re-
ceivina information by which to be guild
cd in the proposed readjustment OF the
tariff.
Resents Attacks.
Chairman Payne of the committee has
strongly resented the attacks OF the man
ilfacturers and the request to congress
for the right to summon witnesses Is
understood to be directed mainly at Mr..
van Cleave and Mr.. Miles, who have not
appeared before the committee despite
special invitations.
The desire of the authorities to sum-
mon witnesses and to hold many hear
ingsFas will be found necessary is prac-
e5tcaIly unanimous. During the progress
of the hearings It has become evident
that the various factions in the House are
united on the one proposition to pass a
hilI that will embrace a thorough and
impartial revision of the present tariff
law. IT Will also include a careful re-
adjustment of the wording and provis-
ions In order to eliminate any possibility
nf misinterpretation by the courts. If
there is any opposition TO a tnorougn re-
srallv believed that it will develop after
The bill has been passed by the House
and reaches the Senate.