The Washington times., 1909-07-30

way or proving TO what. extent the
schedules have been revised downward
IT was a table showing the consumption
value Of articles on which duties had
been increased or decreased. Using 1905
production as the basis, he showed that
on S497S, 100000 worth of articles con-
sumed by the people, the duties have
been lowered; on SS52, coo, coo worth, they
have been raised. This table win be
subjected TO searching analysis and crit
tcism before the debate shall have
ended.
Mr.. Payne sets forth that OF the arti-
cles on which duties are increased,
S579, 000000 worth, or just about two
thirds, are iuXuries. More significant
than this however is the admission in
his statement that there are no changes
IN the wooden schedule, either upward
or downward, and that IN. the cotton
schedule. making the comparison with
the present law, there are no downward
changes, while duties on almost $4,000
600 worth Of consumption are raised
This means that while the Senate critics
of the cotton schedule have for the part
prevented increases, they have not been
entirely successful They have, how
ever, won the better part of their con-
tention against the absurd and con
cealed increases which were work ID
into the Senate measure by the Finance
Committee.
Likewise the critics of the hosiery
duties have gained but little. There are
no decreases from Dingley rates; and
on the lowest grades of hosiery, the
only ones of which there is considerable
importation. and in which importation
has an effect on the domestic price. the
rates are raised.
Sugar Trust Protected.
The Sugar trust gets away with its
protection as sound as ever. True. the
rate on sugar above No. I6 Dutch Stan
dard. is reduced from S1.96 to $3.50. but
this is of no significance to either the
trust or the consumer. The Dutch Stan
dard remains in the law. placing the
consumer, the beet producer, and the
planters OF Louisiana and the insular
possessions as thoroughly as ever at
the mercy Of the trust
President Taft secured substantial VIC
tories on the list Of articles which he
named in his ultimatum to the con-
ferees. He got. by his insistence, a rate
of S1.25 on lumber; of Is cents per ton
on iron ore: duty-free hides; coal is
reduced from 81 cents (Dingley rate) to
IS cents; oil is left on the free list and
without a cOunterVailing duty; the inn
mense advances in the rates on gloves,
which the House desperately tried TO
Juice INTO lilG conference report are CTS
carded. and there is substantial reduc-
lion IN the protection on leather, boots,
and shoes
The Presidents contribution TO the
making Of the bin turns out on analysis
TO be a larger one than may be rec
ognized at first glance. The tariff COM
mission is indeed pruned down TO a
very minor significance: but the Presi-
dent knows full well that an executive
VINO desires 10 employ some ingenuity
in making the commission effective
and useful, will be able to accomplish
that end under the provision which has
survived the conference. And it is we'll
known, too, that the Presidest is de-
termined 70 make the most of all the
power that is given.
The corporation tax and the Customs
Court provisions likewise 90 into the
bill, and with these the President &c
highly pleased, because they represent
important features OF his personal pro-
gram.
Payne Makes Comparisons.
Chairman Payne stated that he had
had an investigation made. based on the
last census returns Of 1905, showing the
amount Of domestic consumption Of ar
ticles upon which duties had been raised
and also the articles upon which duties
have been lowered by the bin as re-
ported. This had been done, he ex-
planned, because certain comparisons
had been made based upon the amount
Of importations.
Duties have been lowered where
they were too high under the present
law, sometimes prOhibitive in charac-
ter" he said. "and for that reason the.
importatiOns were comparatively small.
On the other hand they have been
raised in soma instances where the tar
IN was insufficient for protection and
the importatiOns were very great"
Payne then presented a table which,
he declared, showed the consumption
value Of articles on which rates of duty
had been increased and decreased in ali
cases where amount of production could
be asceTtained-
In preparing this table the experts
used all OF the available information
from the Census ONCE and other
sources he said, but all Of these are
not sufficient 70 present the total con-
sumption of either class of articles. If
the total amount OF consumption were
available the contrast between the
amount OF goods on which duties were
lowered and those increased would be
still more striking"
Increases and Reductions.
The report Of the conference commit
tee was a statement OF 5000 words. set
ting forth the increases and decreases
IN rates as compared with the DingIey
law. There were three printed pages of
advances and eight pages Of reductions
in rates.
These figures. as interpreted by a
member of the conference, show in the
chemical schedule a number of rcduc-
lions, with increases upon fancy soaps
and perfumes which are said 10 be IN
line with the policy TO raise the duties
on luzuries.
The reductions in the metal schedule
were more marked than in any other
section of the Bill. Iron ore was re-
duced from thea Dingley rate Of 30
cents 10 j. cents ton, pig iron from
81 10 $50, and scrap iron from 81 ~ 81
ton. Iron and steel products were de-
creased % per cent, except structural
steel fabricated, which was increased
from 50 10 - per cent al vaIOrem.
Rough lumber was reduced from 8 10
S1.Z5 per 100 feet. and the Diugley rates
on the higher grades were revised down
ward Shingles were raised from 30 20
O. cents per thousand
Refined sugar was cut cents per 100
pounds.
The tariff rates on tobacco were left as
in the Dingley law, but the internal
revenue taxes on manufactured tobacco
were increased from TO cents d
pound.
Lemons. hops. figs, and chicorv were
advanced. Bacon. cabbage. fresh meat
ham. lard, green peas, and sugar 5eets