Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-05-06
FIGHT MAXIMUM CLAUSE
Revisionists in Senate Fear Power
Given to President.
battle Over Textiles--Scnator Dolli-
YER Opposes "Thrcud-C Counting"
Methods a. Dece ption to Raise
Schedule.

and minimum provisions Of the tariff
bill as amended by Senator Aldrich senti-
ment among the revsionist republicans
has crystalized against the measure. The
consensus OF opinion now seems to be
that the President can direct the punt
tive 20 per cent. additional against i'm
ports from any country at his discretion
and on his own Initiative and that under
President so inclined every rate mem
toned in the dutiabe list could be in
creased to the maximum limit
The rates as they stand have created
enough dissatisfa ton among adminis-
tration senators, but they have chung
to the hope that the maximum and mini
mum clauses of the bill or at least the
administrative clauses would afford some
relief that would lower the duties in
actual practice and therby increase i'm
porta tions and revenues. But, they point
out, where the Payne bill authorized the
maximum only In case of discrimination
against this country in favor Of third
, country, the Adrch provision allows the
President to impose maximum which
is three times high as that in the
Payne bill, against any country with
single duty higher tnah that imposed by
the United States.
! AS far as the individual schedules are
concerned an administration senator said
to-day that the President Ia basng his
hopes will take place In conference
| According to this forecast high protec
ton now accorded various articles by
Senator Aldrich is only for the purpose
of hurryng the bill along by stilling
opposition, with view to throwing out
| the increases when once the bill Is in
! conference.
| But such proposal is laughed at by
the Senate leaders and even the support
J ers OF the administration are inclined to
doubt the reality Of any revision that will
rest in the hands OF Mr.. Payne and
ator Aldrich as leaders OF the conference
| committee. The possibility of the pro-
| posed tariff commissior being eliminated
| in conference is generally admitted, but
that organizat ton is given so much linn
! tied powers that little interest is felt in
its ultimate fate. It is said. however, that
as the appropriation for the commission
will be in the deficiency bill 1t will come
under the hand OF Chairman Tawney of
the House appropriation committee, and
he is counted on to oppose 1t on general
grounds.
| The rev!sionists are looking forward
, with interest to the speech against the
textile sections which Senator Dollver
| will deliver soon. Mr.. Doliver be-
lieves that the maximum and minimum
| clause gives to the President absolute
| discretion to impose the ma ximum rates
wherever he pleases, but he will not give
that subject more than passing refer
ence in his speech.
THE rates" he said ARE so high al
ready. that l don't need to mention this
additional Is per cent. to make out my
| case"
| The system of counting threads insti-
| tuted by the Aldrich amendment has oc-
| cuped Senator Delivers attention for
several drys and he thinks that the prin-
cipe abuse lies In the paragraphs pre-
scrlbing the method of counting. The
cotton manufacturers, he said. deceived
| Chairman Payne into inserting their sys-
TEN OF counting and grading. but after
he had accepted 1t. Mr.. Payne found that
il meant increasing by from 800 to 40
times the classification Of piece Of
cloth according to the number Of fill
ments.
After that discovery. said Mr.. Deliver,
Mr., Payne at once took the new method
out of his hill restoring the provisions
OF the present law. Then the lobbyists
went to Mr.. Aldrich and deceived him.
That he is right In his analysis of the
proposed classif'cat!ons said Mr.. Dolli-
ver Is bourne out by letters and tele-
grams he has received from Boston and
from all over New England.
IN the hearings before the ways and
means committed" said the senator.
there was only one person who asked
for an increased duty on textiles. while
this amendment works tremendous in
creases. That one man simply wanted a
higher duty on the mercerized threads
in certain kinds of suspenders he made.
As to mercerized goods, there was an
abundance of testimony against the ad-
visibility Of giving 1t additional protec-
ton"
| The effect Of the additional duty OF one
cent square yard on cotton cloth.
mercerized or subjected to any similar
J process" In Senator Delivers opinion. is
simply to impose this added duty on
nearly all forms OF advanced cloth. He
said that any one OF half a dozen or more
methods of finishing would come within
the terms Of the paragraph. even an IRON
ing of certain threads having practically
the same effect as that specified for the
mercerized article on all goods having
, an ad va!orem duty. he said, the al val
orem duty covers the increased values
sufficiently, while to this sum the one
cent a square yard would be added.
The paragraph In regard to the cur
tains Senator Doliver believes to be SIM
ilarly drawn with the result that the
higher duties given curtains can be
, changed on all kinds Of cloth capable OF
being made into curtains. In the original
draft Of the Aldrich amendments. he
said, II was not even provided that tex
tiles to be so taxed must be similarly
dyed or stained. though on representa- ior
from merchants and amendment includ
ing that one restriction was added.
MAY BE HIGHER DUTY ON LUMBER
The higher duty for lumber Is now gen
, orally expected to become n law. Sena-
tor Tillman said that so many demo
Gratis were supporting the demand fol
highly protected lumber that he thought
the duty would be voted in spite of the
vigorous opposition OF republicans like
Senators Nelson and McCumber. Tillmar
. himself will vote for free lumber.
Senator Aldrich has been doing wha
he can to encourage the cooperation o
the democrats To the two senators fron
u South Carolina he has spoken favorablI
OF their demand for Q removal OF the duty
V on oleosterrine. IA hy-product OF the pack
Ing houses used in the manufacture o.
compound lards from cottonseed OIL ant
for the removal of the duty on cotton
bagging. To their demand for the FREE
listing OF cotton ties no has been lest