The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-12
TARIFF BILL READY
LITTLE IMPORTATION ABOUT
 MEASURE OBTAINABLE.
The Proposition That Has Given the Committee the Most Concern Is the Plan To Tax
 Coffee.

Washington, March 11.-With the Payne tariff bill practically in readi- ness to be introduced on the first day of the special session, little inferma- ton about the bill is obtainable.
 The proposition that has given the committee the most concern and which has been the most difficult to deter mine is the plan to tax coffee. Some Republican members declaring the taxing of the breakfast table" would make it impossible for the Repubh- cans to carry their districts at the next election.
 The National Coffee and Tea Asso- citation wrote to the committee that tax on coffee and tea would be unjust to the consumer. detrimental to trade. Irritating to the masses and finally would fail to produce any material revenue to the government for nearly two years to come.
 A duty of five cents upon coffee would mean an immediate profit of at least S6.50 per bag upon every bag in the United Stoates to the owners there of is the claim made in the brief. There being nearly four million bags at present held here by individuals. cor porations and Wall street speculative interests. such duty would mean profit of $26,000,000 to the owners and holders thereof. But 1t would not mean one dollar paid into the United States Treasury.
 Paper and pulp manufacturers have expressed great alarm over the re- port that the committee would include in the bill changes in the pulp and paper schedule recommended in the re- port of the Mann committee which in vestigated the pulp and paper ques- tions The American Paper and Pulp tta nraQidanf Ar thur c. Hastings. has submitted a lengthy brief urging certain changes in the recommendations made by the 1 select committee.
 The mid continent oil and gas pro- | ducers' association, claiming to em- brace in its membership the owners of ST 1-2 per cent. of the producing oil wells in Oklahoma and Kansas, which produce sixty per cent. of the high grade refining crude oil of the United | states, has submitted a brief urging that the present countervailing duty l on petroleum be maintained. A Fraud on Nation. Birmingham, March 11-A specia lfrom Jackson. Miss says:
 That the proposed revision of the tariff will result In the perpetration oi fraud on the nation is the opinior | expressed by United states senator A J. McLaurin. who is back from the na' | tIonal capitol to spend the congres sional recess. Senator McLaurin wal visitor In Jackson this week and
 when asked how the change will bt manipulated, said:
 "It Is not the republican intention tc
 reduce the tariff to any material ex'
 tent. It is the purpose of the party to continue 1t as a protective tariff In many instances, even, make 1t pro 1 hibitive. They will make some i'm.
 material reductions to give 1t tho ap. pearance of a downward revision. But ] when it is summed up, the last state
 of the tariff will be as bad. If not
 worse, than the first. Where it is
 made prohibitive. of course. no revenue
 will be derived, and as the extrava.
 gance continues and grows. often fol
 the very purpose of giving an excuse for high tariffs. under the false pre-. | tense that the higher the tariff thu greater the revenue. ad infinitum
 other sources of revenue will bt
 sought and found by the party 0,
 extravaganza and robbery of the toll
 ing millions under the guise Of law" |