Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-23
CUMMINS WOULD
FORCE SENATE TO
AMEND TARIFF
IOWA MAN SAYS SCHEDULE
is INDEFENSIBLE
STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT is
HEARTILY INDoRsED
Hawkeye Senator Insists That Main
Point Is to Protect the Public
In Main Commodities
of Commerce
(By Associated PressO

NJ ASHINGTON, July 22.-Empha-
w Sizing the Importance of insist
ing upon reductions in the duties
upon manufactures as well as on raw
material, Senator Cummins of Iowa
late today made public a statement
which is accepted as representing the
views of at least a majority of the
progressive Republican senators rela-
tive to the tariff situation.
Previously Mr.. Cummins had con-
suited two hours with the president,
and an exchange of views had passed
between Mr.. Cummns and others of the
ten who voted against the tariff bill
in the senate.
"I indorse every word of the state
ment recently made by the president y
said Mr.. Cummins.
Cummins Outlines His Plan
while it is of the utmost Importance
that iron ore, oil, hides and coal be
dealt with as proposed by the president,
1t is of still greater Importance that
the duties on manufactured products
shall be brought down somewhere near
the protective point.
Those who have been contending for
lower duties can afford to surrender a
part of their just demands If they can,
in the main, obtain the reductions
which insure the people against undue
prices in the chief commodities of COM
merce."
Mr.. Cummins then outlined his prin-
cipal objections to the bill as it left
the senate.
structural iron and steel, the use Of
which is so rapidly increasing he
said. 'is raised from the Dingley rate
of $40 per ton, and the house rate OF
Sc per ton to As per cent ad valoreln,
which at the present price of this com
modify means a duty of SIS per ton an
increase over the present law of Sc per
ton, and over the house provision of
$40 per ton.
Says Rate Is Indefensible
when it is considered that the duty
on steel rails is $3.50 per ton, and their
market price is S2S per ton, the pro-
posed duty upon a form of steel which
sells for $35 per ton is wholly inde-
fensible. Free iron ore is very de-
sirable thing. but when the welfare Of
the consumer is taken into account 1t
would be vastly better. if a fair rate
can be secured on but one of these
items, to allow the duty on iron ore
to go at 25 per cent a ton, and cut the
duty on structural steel to So or S6
per ton. where it would furnish pro-
lection for home producers.
I'm the lumber schedule, If both
rough and dressed lumber are not free
as they ought to be, the house rate of
81 on rough lumber should be pre-
served. and the differential upon
dressed lumber should begin at % cents
per 1000 feet. and not go beyond so
cents per 1000
I'm the paper schedule the house rate
of 81 per ton on print paper, without
the possibility of increasing 1t by a
countervailing duty, are free wood
pulp, also protected against a counter
vailing duty, should be insisted upon.
Would Reject Cotton Schedule
"In the cotton schedule the senate
increases from beginning to end should
be rejected, and ] believe the people
might be willing to stand for the
house rate, barring. Of course, the
hosiery increase.
THE wooden schedule is manifestly
wrong, and the artificial and arbitrary
plan of estimating the relation between
unwashed and secured wool is grossly
absurd. The wool grower is sacrificed
in order to give undue protection to
the worsted wool manufacturer.
1.-THE whole schedule is so indie
fensible that a readjustment seems I'M
perative, even though to accomplish
it the conference report be voted down
and the bill brought before the senate
again for amendment