The Washington herald., 1909-04-18
SUNDAY, APRIL Is. 1909.
CBy the Universal News AnaIysis.)
Congressional.

(By the Universal News Analyssl
Congressional.
Revision porridge hot. revision porridge
cold. revision porridge in the pot nine
days old The Aldrieh brand Of tariff
legislation has been kept cooling for a
week. ostensibly as a courtesy 10 the
minority Senators who had no share in
the brewing. How II will finally look
when the Senatorial cooks get in their
seasonings and finish their OTatOrlal in
carnations no man can tell. At present
the Aldrich bill resembles the Dingley
tariff more than it does the Payne bill.
When the Senate met on Monday, Sen
ator Aldrich, as chairman Of the Finance
Committee. reported the committee s
amendments 70 the House tariff bill. vir-
tually a complete new measure. which at
once took its place in history as the Al
-drich bill The Senator. in a statement
for the press, said that in the main the
rates in his bill were lower than those
OF the House bill. there being three times
as many reductions as increases and the
great mass Of the rates being below
those of the existing law" II is con-
tended that "a considerable number OF
articles In common use have been re-
stored to the free list" The net result
is to bring the whole measure much near
er 10 the existing DingIey law. so that
critics say that it offers no real relief
from existing conditions. Doubt was ex-
pressed whether the President would sign
the Aldrich bill as It stood. But it was
said by prominent Republican Senators
that further amendments would be Of
fered.
One of the first things remarked in the
Senate bill was the retention Of the So
called "oil Joker" which the House had
left in the bill after having voted, as was
thought, to put oil on the free list That
was the duty Of 20 per cent on oil prod
Ucts. To show that this item was not
left in the Payne bill Intentionally the
House. on motion Of Chairman Payne
himself, voted Monday TO recall the bill
from the Senate and instructing the clerk
70 make the correction making the oil
products free.
In apparent response to the Outcry OF
the women, the Aldrich bill restores the
rates on hosiery and gloves TO the Ding
ley basis; also the Dingley rates are re-
stored in the wooden schedule. The most
spectacular increases are on wines and
yachts, both articles Of luxury. The free
list is extended 70 objects OF art in gen
eral including such antiquities as COM
prise the collections Of J. p. Morgan.
A number Of hotly-cOntested articles
such as lumber. coal. steel rails. oil
hides. pulp. and paper, were left open, to
be thrashed out in the Senate. Tea and
coffee. having been restored 10 the free
list by the House. were left there by the
Senate committee. Cocoa also went 10
the free list
The House provision for an inheritance
tax was stricken out pending investiga-
ton as 10 the revenue-prOducing capac-
ity OF the bill.
The Senate adjourned until Thursday 10
give the minority members Of the
Finance Committee time to examine the
measure the latter having complained
because they had been excluded from the
committee meetings
In q conference Wednesday the Demo-
cratic Senator's decided 70 vote as a unit
for an amendment 10 the tariff bin i'm
posing q tax Of 8 per cent on incomes Of
$500 a. year and over and an amend
ment 70 this effect was prepared by Sena-
tor Bailey. He estimated that Ii would
produce S90000.000 a year revenue. Sena-
tor Daniel wanted the conference TO IA
vor his proposition 20 tax the gross earn
ings OF corporations. but the matter was
not acted upon. on molten OF Senator
Ncl-8uTin IL was decided 10 favor in gen.
eral lower duties on the necessities and
make the needed increases on the luxu-
ries They went on record as against
any tariff policy so deficient in revenue
producing capacity as 10 require a bond
issue.
Representative Scott. OF Kansas, on
Thursday introduced in the House a bin
TO prohibit the dealing in futures Of
grain, cotton. and other farm products.
II is aimed especially at the wheat pit,
but VIII not be taken up before the
regular session