Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-29
Favors Low Duties on the
Necessaries of Life.
OPPOSED TO DUTY ON TEA
Does Not Favor Countervailing Tax
on Brazilian Coffee.
No Particular Program Adopted at
the White House-Conferences
With the President.

Congressman who call on President Taft
to talk tariff are discovering that he
stands for as low duties as possible on the
necessaries of life. and that he feels
that where there are reductions from the
present Dingley schedules many of them
should be upon the things that go to feed,
clothe and house the great masses of the
people.
Specifically. it was learned from high
authority today that the President is op-
posed to a tax on tea, the drink Of the
people at large, and that he believes the
income derived from this proposed tax,
about $1,000, 600, should be raised in some
other way.
He does not believe that the counter
vailing duty on coffee. as proposed in the
Payne bill. will be i'm the new tariff bill.
as he will oppose that feature should 1t
be contained in the bill toward the last.
The countervailing duty on coffee would,
In the opinion of the President actually
Impose duty on coffee brought to this
country, as the export tax of Brazil on
coffee shipped from there would not be
removed. AS to both coffee and tea. con-
sequently, the President stands firm and
will stand firm to the end. Practically
imported from Brazil. The financial sys-
tenn of that country is largely based
upon the export tax paid upon coffee.
The President is informed that Brazil
this tax or could not do so for many
years, even II desired. The proposed
countervailing duty in the Payne bill
would have to be paid at this end.
coffee the President believes this can be
raised by an excise tax on the dividends
CT corporations or by a stamp tax on
checks. and other things, such as that
imposed during the Spanish war.
that which comes in from tea and coffee
the President will probably insist upon
the income tax or stamp tax or both.
No Particular Program.
1t must not be understood that the
President has specifically committed him
self to any particular program as to
schedules, but 1t Is q foregone conclusion
that he will do so as the tariff fight
shapes itself and he finds himself ready
to inform Congress more definitely as
to what he will or will not accept.
The President desires to leave to Con-
gress the duties Of that body and to use
as little pressure upon the legislative body
as is consistent with his responsibilities
as head of the party and as more or less
directly amenable to the people at large
for legislation demanded by them.
At this early stage of the tariff fight
the President finds it unnecessary to ex-
those of general nature. He has no
information from Congress that leads him
to suspect that there Is any intention
there to look too carefully after special
Of the great body OF people. Should that
become known to him at any time he
will give an illustration of those positive
characteristics that made him SO much
liked by President Roosevelt.
Just at this stage the President stands
In general way for reductions in duties
upon the things the people use daily in
their lives. and which. in recent years,
have advanced so as to materially in
crease the cost OF living
Talking About the Tariff.
Senator Hale of the Senate finance COM
mittee, now at work upon a tariff bill,
and Representative Dalzell Of the House
committee on ways and means. were with
the President today and there were sew
eral others who talked with the chief
executive.
Representative Hinshaw of Nebraska
one of the few republican representatives
who succeeded in pulling through in the
November election. talked at some length
liberty to quote the President" said MIR.
Hinshaw, but in a general way I am
sure he will have no objection to my say
ing that the President is in favor Of
lowering the duties on the necessaries of
life
Mr.. Hinshaw defined his own position
to the President on number of the
schedules dealing with those things in
everyday use. Mr.. Hinshaw wants lum-
Der free OF duty, oil with the countervail-
ing duty off. lower duties on shoes If
hides are to be admitted free, the counter
vailing duties removed from coffee, and
tea free. He likewise favors much lower
duties on gloves.
as advocated by the President, and an in
come tax upon dividends upon stocks.
Brazil's Concern in Tariff Bill.
John Barrett. director of the bureau Of
American republics. is hearing from the
representatives Of these countries right
along regarding the new tariff bill. He
conferred with the President today as to
the feeling Of the republics on the pro-
posed schedules. telling the President
that some Of the features furnish a
grave problem.
There Is danger that the new tariff
bill will. In some features, be inimicai
to the development OF the expert trade
OF the United States with Latin America"
offers unquestionably the greatest oppor-
tunity for the building up Of a market
for the manufactured products OF the
United States. great care should be ex-
ercised in not bringing about conditions
which Will react unfsvorably on that
trade. In other words. II the United
States places . duty on the raw prooucts
OF South America which are not produced
in tho United States, but consumed here
In large quantities. the countries OF
South America may retaliate in turn by
increasing duties on the manufactures
Of the United States and give the export
trade OF this country a black eye Just
when We are making tremendous efforts
to build II up
Mr.. Barrett referred to the case Of Bra
zil, which feels that the tariff bill strikes
q blow at her in declaring that a duty on
coffee shall be collected If Brazil applies
an export tax. Brazil is absolutely de-
pendent upon its export tax on coffee for
its revenue. and in some cases 1t Is guar
anteed as security for foreign loans. Bra
I'll cannot possibly remove Its export tax