The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-21

 AGAINST BILL Difficulties in Way of
 Tariff. CUBAN RECIPROCITY TREATY Most Favored Nation Clause of
 American Tariff. Opponents of Bill Say If This Section Continues in Operation, . Great International Tariff War
 Would Result.

acted, because of the section whict continues in operation the Cuban re- ciprocity treaty. is one of the argu ments that Is being made against tho measure.
 It is urged that foreign countrie. which would otherwise agree to give the United States the benefits of theil for the minimum scale of duties pro- vided for in the Payne bill, will con- tend that the Cuban reciprocity pro- vision is the most favored nation clause of the American tariff and will therefore refuse to enter into low tariff agreement with this country.
 This difficulty regarding the Cuban | reciprocity treaty and its relation to the maximum and minimum tariff pro- visions of the Payne bill, was not overlooked by the framers of that measure. The subcommittee which drafted the bill considered the possi- bility of claims being made that the clause continuing the treaty with Cuba discriminates against other nations. and would. therefore, not entitle the United States to the minimum duties of other nations. After discussing the matter 1t was agreed to allow the pro- vision to remain in the bill upon tho assumption that other countries recog- nize the unusual relations existing be- tween the United States and Cuba, and would not object to the lower tariff du- ties which the island republic would get. Furthermore, in support of this argument. 1t Is contended that Cuba ships to this country articles which do not compete with other imports from countries from Europe.
 Difficulties fin Way.
 There iN' other difficulties in the way of operating successfully a maxi mum and minimum tariff Most Flu ropean nations have special tradesrela- tions on certain products with their neighboring countries and 1t would be inconsistent for the United States to expect these nations to abrogate those agreements in order to get the benefit of our minimum duties.
 The other framers of the Payne bill have designed the maximum tariff pro- visions In such a way that practically every country of Europe will be com pe1led to seek our minimum duties in time. The principal object in making the new bill a maximum and minimum measure was to use this provision as means of forcing other countries to grant to American industries the same opportunities for trade that they grant to other countries.
 France Is one of the countries that will be most affected by the maximum schedule of the Payne tariff. The du- ties imposed by the present law, on wines. liquors and spirits, are increas- ed 40 per cent. in the maximum pro- vision of the new bill and this ad- vance would seriously affect the inn portations from France of wines. prin- cipally of the low grades. Italy and Spain would also feel the effects of these duties. Germany now gives the United States nearly all the minimum duties of her tariff under the provisions of the German trade agreement; but unless she should offer to abrogate the movement and give this country all of her favorable duties. the maximum rates of the Payne tariff would apply The German agreement provides that six months notice of it's discontinu- ance must be given by either country but 1t can be abrogated by mutual consent.
 The Payne bill places a maximum duty of 20 per cent additional on the articles in the chemical. tobacco. sugar agricultural products, cotton, silk and paper schedules, with the exception of coal tar dyes and extracts for dying in the chemical schedule, for which there Is no maximum rate of duty. The rates of the Dingley law are re- tained as maximum duties on pig iron, structural steel, billets, iron and steel plates, steel wire and numerous other iron and steel products. The maxi mum duties for the pottery schedule are 25 per cent more than the mini mum and for the sundries schedule, the increase in an addition of 25 per centum and varlorem.
 The flax and wool schedules have no maximum duties prescribed.
 The principal articles on the free list ner cent ad valOrpm Is provided In the maximum schedule are coffee. crude natural camphor drugs for dyeing and tanning. hides, iron ore, oils including petroleum tal- low and tobacco stems.
 New Drawback Provision.
 Representatives of Western States are claiming that the new drawback provision in the Payne tariff bill is discriminatory against the West in fla vor of the East. The revised draw back section permits manufacturers to secure the regular drawback of 99 per cent of the duty paid on imported raw material without the necessity of using the imported material in the manufac- tured product that Is exported. raw material of domestic production. in equal quantity and of a similar charac- ter may be used instead of the Import material.
 Western members of Congress are con tending that this tends to give the manufacturer at seaboard decided ad- vantage over the manufactures in the interior, on account of the freight rates.
 The Ways and Means Committee claims, however, that the drawback Is for the benefit of the honest exporter who has been laboring under a disad- vantage because interruptions manu- lecturers have taken advantage of the difficulty of enforcing the Dingley drawback provision. It Is also con tended that the new drawback section extends this privilege to many indus tries which have been unable to make use of 1t. and that for this reason 1t will encourage manufacture In this country.
 The rice growing and distributing in- terests of the United States are ap- prehensive of the effects on their in- dustry of the new tariff bill permitting the free entry of that staple from the Philippines. Today, representatives of that industry had conference with Secretary of War Dickinson and se- cured his consent to an amendment to the bill, providing that when rice Is imported from the islands for commer- cial purposes free of duty. the Presi- dent is to impose on rice coming into the Philippines from any foreign coun- try duty equal in amount to that fm- posed on such imports entering the United States from foreign countries.
 Officials of the insular bureau say 1t will be long time before the Phil lipplnes export any rice.
 
 SPRING BRIDES.
 Will need our flowers. Our brides a.- nF