Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-17
CONFEREES MAKE
RAPID PROGRESS
Iron Ore, Coal, Hides, Oil and Lumber
Are Main Points of Diff
ference.
TAFT'S ATTITUDE COUNTING
Little Change Made in Senate Woolen
Schedules.
RATES ON SPIRITS ARE RAISED
Post View Cards Given Greatest In
crease in Entire Bill.
AGRICULTURAL DUTIES FIxEI
Compromise on Its Items Reached,
but Details of IL Are Kept
Secret for the
Present.

WASHINGTON, July 15.-Twenty-four
hours would see the end Of the work of
the senate and house conferees on the
tariff bill and a substantial agreement on
the questions issue but for the five
proposltions-iron ore coal hides, oil and
lumber-upon which the president stands
firm for radical reductions or even aboi-
ton Of the tariff. This is the way the
conferees describe the situation, and upon
Capitol Hill they are facetiously calling
these propositions 'the national issues"
Great progress was made by the con-
ferees today. A preponderance of the diff
ferences in nearly all of the schedules have
been adjusted. In each schedule, however,
there are some few items that have neces-
STATED investigation in order to enable
the conferees to get together. \ number
of these inquiries have not been completed.
This Is true of lead products, such as
paints in the chemical schedule; numerous
articles in the metal schedule, which
the rates depend on the settlement of the
iron ore question; the demand for a change
in the classification of wool tops; the
change from ad valorem to specific rates
on cotton goods, the increase made by the
house on gloves, and the wood pulp and
print paper contest
No Change I'm WOOiens.
The rates on shs and woolen goods were
d termned today. The senate won on both
on silks there will be a considerable ad-
vance over existing duties and on wools
there is to be no change from the present
law except in regard to wool tops. which
are to be given new classification. The
duty on tops is prohibitive now, and 1t Is
predicted that 1t will continue so even after
the reduction is put into force.
The adjustment of the wooden schedule is
the result of a conference today between
Representatives Mccall of Massachusetts,
BoutelI of Illinois and Fordney of Michi-
gan. which represented the views of the
house, and Senators Smoot, Carter and
Warren who represented he demand OF
the wool growers.
The senate provision re-enacted the Ding
ley rates OF the whole woolen schedule,
while the house provided for material re-
auctions especially in the interest OF the
,arded wool industry
No decision has been reached definitely
concerning tops, but the probability is that
they will be provided for specifically at
rate between the existing rates on secured
wool and spun yarn.
In the Dingley law tops fall In the para
graph covering knit fabrics and all manu-
factures of every description wholly or I'm
part of wool. The house has demanded
from the first that the rate on wool tops
be fixed in a separate paragraph wool
tops is technical term given to secured
wool which has been combed and advanced
in manufacture to a point where IL Il
ready to be converted by the spinner into
yarns. The process is one Of the most
costly in the various stages of preparing
wool for manufacture.
Changes in SILK Schedule.
The acceptance of the senate silk schedul'
provides specific duties instead of the ex
listing ad valorem rates The change was
made chiefly for the purpose of preventing
the underyaluations of silks, velNets and
chenlues manufactured in Japan at very
low cost. 1t is said that 1t meets the De
slres OF both the manufacturers and I'M
porters
The duty on cheap grades OF SILK mas peer
reduced. but an increase was made on th
more costly silks velVets, chenllles aIl'
ehiffons. High grade silks were classed b!
the senate as luxuries and It is alleged ina
the new rate will yield more than SSOOoON
over the revenues from importations o.
silks under the Dingley law.
1t was believed that the cotton schedult
would be disposed OF today but Repre-
sentative Payne was not ready to proceed
The senate provided specific rates instead
Of the ad valorem Of the existing law anc
the house bill Representative Payne
wished to discuss the changes before &C
cepting them
II is charged that the senate rates viii
result ~ increase on many high grades OF
cotton goods but the senate conferees have
insisted that the specific rates will oper
ate TO carry out the intent Of the Dingle,
act.
They say that court decisions have re
suited in beating down the duties paid b!
importers on cotton goods to figures ri
dculously low"
Hisher Duties on Spirits.
Another important schedule disposed o
today was wines, spirits and liquors Tn
senate treated this schedule as belonglhl
TO the class of luxuries and made an IN
crease amounting to about l5 per cent o'
most OF the articles under the head OF spI
It's. on ehampagnes, in bottles of the ordi
nary commercial sizes, the existing rate o
IS dozen for quarts is advanced to Ss6
with a similar advance on pints and othe
sIzks IL Is estimated that these rates vii
nroauce about S, 900, 900 annually more thai
Is derived under the Dingley rates, Franc
exhibited considerable concern over IN
advance on champagnes, and representa-
t,ons against the increase We're made L
this government.
The conferees received communication
-. ,bts subject through Secretary Of Stat
Knox. Tariff experts, who had ASSISTS
the senate committee on finance. reports
"a the conference committee that the
,-.rs Of the opinion the higher duue
,rould not result in decreased importations
In consequence OF this report the con
ferees accepted the senate amendmen
aolely because of the revenues it woul
produce H..