Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-11
FIRST HEARING ON TARIFF
Session Of Committee Will Reflect At
titude Of Business Interests.
LACK OF CONCERTED ACTION
Belief Protective Tariff f. Quarantine
Against Flood of Low Priced
Products from Countries
in Depression.

WASHINGTON, Nov. ia number OF
manufacturers OF chemicals appeared today
at the first meeting Of the house on ways
and means to consider proposed changes in
the tariff law, which are to be made at a
special session Of congress to be called
after March 4, next. John +. Queeney OF
st. Louis. DR.. Springer OF Cincinnati and
George A. Brown of Philadelphia were
among those heard. They represented a
number OF commercial establishments and
advocated the retention of the present
tariff on chemicals and chemical products,
but commended that II this policy could not
be pursued certain raw materials entering
into the production OF these articles and
which are not produced in this country
should be placed upon the free list. Chair
man Payne, of the committee, announced
that morning and afternoon sessions would
be held and said if necessary the commit
tee would sit evenings in order to complete
the hearings within the time allotted.
The chemical, drug, color. paint, oil and
liquor interests are we'll represented here
today. but aside from the color and paint
manufacturers there seems to be a lack of
concerted action among the representatives
of any of these industries. Many OK these
people will be heard with regard to changes
III N"t JUS ~ VI plll dStOlbky OF GER
tain paragraphs in the tariff affecting
their interests. Some are in favor of a re-
duction In the tariff on raw materials, but
the majority are advocating a protective
tariff. They do not desire any change in
the rates of duty for fear that it would
disturb the business conditions of the coun-
try. A peculiar situation with regard to
Schedule A" of the tariff is that articles
that are regarded as raw materials Cor one
industry are finished products for another
and consequently arguments are due to ar.
rive on some of these articles.
Quarantine Against Depression.
Eugene Noise, a representative of the
paint and color industries, who is to APP
pear before the committee today, will advo-
cate a continuation of the present tariff
rates on the ground that "a protective
tariff is a quarantine against infection of
the business depression of other nations"
He claims that the exporters of other ma
tions endeavor to unload their products on
this country at cost when business condi-
lions are bad in their own.
The majority Of the ways and means
committee claim that 1t is necessary for
this country to adopt a tariff with a maxi
mum and minimum rate of duty in order to
conform with the tariffs adopted by
France, Germany and Russia. In this way
the United states could get the benefit of
the favored nation" clause of those coun-
tries in return for the minimum rate OF
duty of our tariff. In foreign countries
which have adopted such a tariff there is
a reduction of about 20 per cent in the
minimum rate. The manufacturer who
are advocating a protective tariff want the
committee on ways and means to make
the present rates of duty the minimum
rates in the new tariff bill, which would
result in a considerable increase in the
rates of duty for countries which have no
Favored nation clause to offer the United
States.