Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-15
Original Amount of $4,000 Annually
Fixed By Committee.
AT STICKING POINT
Maximum and Minimum Provisions
Objectionable to House.
LA TOILETTE CONDEMNS BILL
Average increase of Duties, He De-
cIares, IL 5.85 Per Cent-DscIares
it to be Presidents Duty
to Veto II.

WASHINGTON July 1A-Strenuous OBJ
jections were raised by the house members
Of the tariff conference today to the senate
provision in the maximum and minimum
feature OF the tariff bill which gives to the
president authority to employ such pers ons
as he may desire to aid him in enforcing
the tariff laws and which will be useful
to congress In tariff legislation in the fu-
ture.
This opposition was all that prevented
the adoption of practically all the sections
dealing with administration.
Customs Court Approved.
The provision which provides for tho
establishment of a court OF customs APP
peals was adopted. 1t is intended that this
court shall deal with all cases of appeal
from the board of general appraisers and
that its judgments shall be final. The
salaries of the five judges were fixed al
$4,000 instead OF 5000, as provided by a
senate amendment adopted after the court
feature had been reported from the senate
committee on finance.
The senate maximum and minimum pro-
vision was discussed throughout the after.
noon session. When adjournment was
taken at $50 o'clock this provision had
been agreed upon tentatively as a sub
stitute for the house feature, with the
exception of ;he privilege Of the employ
ment Of tariff experts. The house con-
ferees took the position that the ways and
means committee and the senate finance
committee have the investigation Of tariff
matters as their special province.
President Wants Experts.
Several of the senate conferees made the
assertion that President Taft desired to
have the right to employ such experts for
the purpose of assisting him in the dis
charge of duties imposed upon him by the
maximum and minimum feature. They de-
clared also that the president favors the
appointment of a tariff commission.
These arguments were not sufficient to
induce the house conferees to abandon their
objection.
The senate administration act, which
was drawn for the purpose of preventing
differentiation of imported articles not In
common use in the country of manufac-
ture, also was adopted. This feature pro-
vides machinery for ascertaining values
when there is no foreign market to be used
as a basis Customs officials are author
lied to determine the value of such i'm
ports in the country, and to make deduc-
tions, covering transportation and insur-
ance and cost OF making sales or COM
missions, according to whether the goods
were bought outright or we're consigned
to dealers in this country.
Argument over Drawback.
The drawback provision is still the sub
ject OF dispute. Agreement that the pro-
vision of the Dingley law should be re-
enacted in the place of the house provi
sion had almost been reached when the
house conferees insisted that a provision
should be added requiring expectations to
be made within three years in order to
gain the benefit of the drawback This
| feature was a part of the provision adopted
| by the house. which had also eliminated
the necessity for Identifying the imported
raw material in the manufactured product
| offered for export.
The senate conferees insisted that the
removal of the Identification clause opened
the door to fraud and that the three-year
provision narrowed the drawback in such
a manner that 1t would work a hardship
to manufacturers who availed themselves
OF the drawback privilege. The conferees
representing the two branches Of congress
Fsplt up on this question. and II was laid
aside for consideration later.
The house provision allowing q draw
back to the amount OF the internal rev.
enue tax paid on domestic alcohol used
in articles such perfumes and cos
metlcs manufactured for the foreign trade
was agreed to tentatively. 1t will be IN
corporated in the drawback provision as
finally adopted.
increases In Bill.
Through Senator La Toilette tthe bureau
of statistics OF the Department of Com
merce and Labor has presented to congress
an analysis of the increases and decreases
of the Payne Aldrich bill;
Summarizing this analysis, Mr.. La Fol
lette says:
According to the figures supplied bJ
the bureau, the bill as passed by IN
senate on the basis OF the importations Of
1907, leaves unchanged the duties on i'm
ports Of the value OF $3.50, 1O8OOs or 47.6
per cent. Duties are increased on imports
of the value OF Sl49 ZIG. 619 or a.A per cent
while the decreases affect imports Of the
value Of S96, 1868, ,6l9 or 1884 per cent Th'
average increase Of the entire bill Is Sc
per cent
"As the Payne bill passed the house. &C
cordlng to the estimates Of Chairman
Payne, the increases on the basis OF TN
portations OF 1906 affected imports Val,,ed
at less than sac, 900 OO0"
Senator La Toilette declared ''unless tNe
rates Of the bill are greatly reduced IL
conference the bill should be vetoed. 81
in its present form It is violation 81
the promise made to the people 10 gen
orally reduce existing rates"
President Has Faith.
The president today demonstrated hi
conviction that the tariff bin will be in ~
last stages by the end OF next week By
: the announcement that If the bill was no
ready for his action by that time he woult
, be Obliged TO cancel his engagement TO at
tend the Confederate veterans reunion a
\ Fishers Hill, Va, on Saturday, July "a
i Mr.. Taft several days ago promised tn,
! virginia senators that he would attend tn
Z Fisher Hill gathering II the date would b,
arranged within the next tan dayL