Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-18
The New Tariff Bill.

the house yesterday will, It is believed,
meet the general approval of the con
sumers of the country and be accepted
by producers and manufacturers with
out strenuous opposition, although
many OF its reductions are decidedly
radical.
Even casual inspection of the bill
as offered must be convincing of the
sincere desire of the administration
leaders to meet the demand for a
downward revision of the schedules
all along the line, wherever consistent
with the maintenance of the principle
of protection and the proper safe
guarding of labor and capital i'm the
industries. During the last campaign
and since the national election demo-
cratic spokesman have been insistent
in their declarations that the Cannon
Payne-Dalzell faction of the republi-
can house would block any general re-
duction of the Dingley schedules and
even many ardent republicans have
been led to doubt on that score. The
bill offered by Mr.. Payne, for the ways
and means committee, shows that the
democratic contentious and republi-
can fears we're alike without warrant
in fact.
The proposed bill calls for placing
iron ore on the free list and a reduc-
ton Of about so per cent on all iron
and steel products. Lumber is re-
duced by so per cent. Farm machin-
cry is placed on the free list. The
tariff on wool is practically unchanged.
There is a reduction in the duty on re-
fined sugar, a provision for reciprocal
free trade with the Philippines, and a
reduction on a list of various products
that have come to need but little, if
any protection. The increases have
been placed on soaps, ~perfumeries,
spices, cocoa and articles usually
classed as Injuries, the purpose of the
increases being for additional evenue
The duties are reduced on most of the
drugs and chemicals used in the manu-
features.
The chief concession TO the con-
sumner, in addition to t~helreduction of
duties on certain farm products, is
the placing of hides on the free list
and the reduction by so per cent of
the duties on shoes and most lines of
manufactured leather. The contention
of the trainers of the bill is that the
reduction Of the duty on hides will not
seriously affect the growers of cattle,
but will, on the other hand, give the
manufacturers new sources of raw
material, thus making possible lower
prices of shoes for the benefit of the
entire people. The proposed tax on
coffee is abandoned by the trainers of
the bill, but a tax of s cents a pound
Is placed on tea.
AS a pure revenue-getting PROPOSE
ton the most important innovation in
the bill is the provision for an in
herltance tax. This calls for a 5 per
cent tax on all inheritances over $500
that are collateral, or in which
strangers are legates. In direct in
heritances the taxes are l per cent On
amounts from 5000 to 500, 600; 2
per cent on 500, 900 to $500, 900 and
8 per cent on those above $500, 900.
1t Is estimated that a revenue of at
least $40, 000, 900 a year will be
produced from this source.
The trade treaties With other coun-
tries are ~abrogated by the bill and a
maximum and minimum tariff schedule
adopted as a substitute for such
agreements. The new bill provides
that The maximum tax shall be i'm
posed against products of countries
that discriminate against American
goods, while the minimum tariff shall
apply to countries that make con-
c~essions in their tariff avs in favor of
products from this country. The
adoption OF this provision would pro-
vide, lin effect, for automatic reci-
procity between the United States and
other countries.
The new bill has been very thor
oughly considered by the ways and
means committee of the house and has
the unanimous approval of the republi-
can members of that committee. While
some slight notifications may be ex-
pected in transit, there is little reason
FOR any serious delay In the considera-
ton M adoption of the measure by
the house and its reference to the SEN
yelops, on the measure will come.