The Washington herald., 1909-03-12

The great speculative interest in the
formation Of the new tariff bin seems
TO center on the proposed duty on coffee.
No one can predict at this time just what
the Ways aud Means Committee will
finally do IN regard TO this schedule
There is a widespread popular protest
against taxing coffee. which is being
brought to bear almost 6aily upon mem
bers Of the House Some OF the wiser
and more experienced solons predict that
in eth anal analysis coffee viii be ad-
mitted free Of duty.
At this time 1t seems the members Of
the Ways and Means Committee are
driven 20 the necessity OF choosing be
tween an Increase Of the tax on beer
or Of putting a duty on coffee in order
70 obtain the necessary revenues. a tax
of cents on coffee will yield as much
revenue as an increase Of 81 a barrel on
beer
May Increase Beer Tax.
A proposal has been made to increase
the beer tax 20 cents a barrel. and then
put tax OF cents on the importation
OF coffee. from which it is estimated that
from 100000 TO 100000 revenue can
be secured annually.
The work of preparing the tariff bin is
far from complete Snme OF the House
leaders were predicting yesterday that
the bill would not be ready to report 10
the House on the first day OF the ex-
traordinary session. as was promised
some time ago. Il was suggested that
when the House organizes Monday Chair
man Payne would probably offer
dummy bin and ask for its reference 10
the Ways and Means Committee. and
that ii might be the middle or end OF
next week before the real tariff measure
would be reported back 10 the House
One thing that seems 20 be definitely
settled is that there viii be no duty on
iron ore. 1t is equally certain that there
viii be a reduction Of the duty on steel
products Of from one-third 10 One-half OF
the present rates. with the exception or
steel billets, which VIII be subjected to
reduction OF from one-tenth 10 One-fomth
of the present rate
There have been a large number Of pro
tests sent 10 the committee in the last
few days against the tax on sugar. but
there is no Likelihood that the committee
will depart from the conclusion II has al
ready reached not TO change the rate on
sugar.
in the sugar schedule Is the provision for
the admission free OF duty OF Philippine
sugar up to the limit OF 100000 tons annU-
ally. and the experts predict u viii be az
least ten years before that limit will be
reached in the importation of sugar from
the islands.
BY that time il is probable the country
will be ready for another revision of the
tariff. Meanwhile President Taft WIFI
have gained all that he has been contend
Ing for in the matter Of the free admis-
sion OF Philippine sugar
There has been some wavering In the
committee in the matter Of the duty on
lead ore. At present reduction has been
ordered Of one-third OF the present rate
The committee has been wavering be
tween cut Of one-third and a cut or
one-half
A lively agitation has been started
mere for an increase Of the proposed duty
on lumber from 81 TO $50. but at the
conclusion OF its labOrs yesterday the
committee had not yielded. and there was
no indication that il would recede from
It's original conclusion. which reduced the
duty on lumber from 81 to 81
Restriction OF Revenue Tax.
The question of restoring some Of the
war revenue taxes. such. for example.
as the 2-cent stamp tax on checks. tele-
grams, &c, has been discussed on the
Senate side. but up to this time Il has
not been determined by the members Of
the Ways and Means Committee.
All the interests TO be affected by the
tariff legislation are sending representa-
tives 10 the Capital prepared to swoop
down on Congress next week. One Of the
most aggressive lobbies is that OF the live
stock men, who have taken a suite Of