The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-11
TARIFF REY|SERS
WILL Do LITTLE
Congressman Underwood Is
Convinced Regarding Work
G. 0. P. SPLIT ON SUBJECT
Standpatters and Revisonists In Re-
publican Ranks Will Make Things
Lively When Time Comes
for Debating.

Washington, November 10.-(speeial9-
! There were few discordant notes in the
! hearings before the ways and means
committee this morning. In almost every
| instance those interested in chemicals
/ wanted an increased duty. Some were
more modest and thought a reduction of
the present duties would work no injury,
! but generally speaking everybody wanted
as much as he could get out of The tariff.
| Representative Underwood of Alabama,
| the ranking member of the minority In
| the absence of Mr.. Clark of Missouri,
completely exposed the fallacy of the ar
| guments and made one of the witnesses
admit that in the case of by-products of
coke we are now producing more than
the country can consume, and yet the in
terests concerned in it want tariff
placed on the articles. Mr.. Underwood
showed that this simply meant that the
consumer here was to be charged more
than he is now paying. Other equally as
damaging admissions were made.
Underwood's Belief.
It is the belief of Mr.. Underwood and
his fellow democratic members that the
country can expect little from the forth
coming tariff bill. He doubts il there will
be material reductions, regardless of the
fact that it is the most feasible way to
| realize revenue. Chairman Payne told
the members of the committee today that
he expected to hold hearings daily from
$3.50 to until every one who desired to
| appear would have the opportunity of do
| ing so.
While the committee was in session Sem
ator Cullom of Illinois was at the White
House, where he stated that there was
much sentiment in his part of the coun-
| try for a reduction of the duty on agr-
| cultural implements and other schedules
| of that nature. This makes it apparent
! that whatever bill may be enacted into
! law the revisionists in the republican par
| ty will make things lively Tor the stand
patters.
Don't Want Change.
With few exceptions the interests affect
ed by Schedule A. OF the Dingley tariff,
which includes over a hundred articles
under the heading of Chemicals, Oils
and Paints" do not desire any changes
in the rates of duty now operative. This
| was indicated today. Chemical products,
coal tar products, chemicals, paints oils.
varnishes, medicinal preparations and ex
tracts for dyeing and tanning were the
principal subjects on which the commit
tee obtained information from those who
appeared before it today. Among those
for lower tariff rates was Albert Plant,
who drafted the schedule for medicinal
chemicals for the Wilson bill. THE duties
on medicinal chemicals he said, are
mostly prohibitive, being in most cases %
which a nrO11bt1XP
There are less manufacturers of medici
| nal chemicals in this country today than
there were 25 years ago, and these con-
troll the home market. II the rates of
duty were reduced to 10 per cent it
would prevent the domestic manufacturer
from arbitrarily fixing the prices which,
in many cases, are exorbitant. The en-
tire schedule is antiquated. 1t is not
fair to the consumer
Off Free List.
Mr.. Plant said that quinine should be
taken off the free list and recommend
ing for 1t 10 per cent ad valorem.
N. B. Arnold, representing the Varnish
Manufacturers association, declared the
varnish manufacturers are satisfied with
present conditions.
Replying to Mr. Underwood of Alabama
democratic member of the committee, Mr..
Arnold admitted that his trade did not
need any protection with regard to al
cohol varnishes. He said that in view
of the availability of denatured alcohol
for varnish manufacture an ad valorem
rate of % per cent for alcohol varnishes
instead of the present rate of 80 per cent
would be fair.
He created much amusement by his
frank statements with regard to the Oft
repeated assertion that surplus produc-
ton is unloaded on foreign markets by
American manufacturers at a less price
than is demanded in the home market,
declaring that this was not true.
John F. Queeny OF st. Louis and rep
resentatve of the Semet- Solvay company
of Syracuse. n. Y, favored higher duties
on coal tar products. DIR. Springer, rep
resenting a chemical firm of Cincinnati,
asked that 1-5 cents a pound be Inn
posed on prussate of soda instead of the
ad valorem rate of % per cent He said
that the low price of this article made
1t impossible to manufacture at a profit
in this country.
The committee held two sessions today
md Mill