The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-19
House Committee In
Session Today.
SENATE BUSY TOO.
Measure to Be Reported
Without Delay.
DEBATE BEGINS NEXT MONDAY.

New Bill Cuts Steel and Lumber Du-
ties so Per cent-Tea Is Taxed, but
Coffee 10 Placed on Free List, Also
Hides and Wood PuIp--Works of Art
Exempt IL Twenty Years Old In
heritanee Tax Graded - Tariff on
Boots and Shoes Reduced 40 Per
Cent-internal Revenue Tax on Gig
arettes lnereased-Beer and Whisky
undisturbed.
Washington, March 1S. - The full
membership Of the house committee on
ways and means, including Democrats
as well as Republicans, met today for
the formal consideration Of the Payne
tariff bill.
The senate committee on finance at
the same time began formal considera-
ton Of the measure.
1t was said that the probabilities
were that the house committee would
have only one sitting on the bill, that
the measure would be reported to the
house without delay and that formal
reading in committee of the whole
would soon begin. - +,,s
General debate will be postponed
until Monday, and after that the
measure probably will be before the
house from ten days to two weeks.
The bill includes the inheritance tax
recommended by President Taft. 1t
provides for a tax of l per cent on
amounts from $4,000 to 100000,
per cent on amounts from 100000 to
100000 and 5 per cent on amounts
over $5Oo,OOO. Strangers and collateral
heirs pay per cent on amounts over
$500.
1t provides for the issue Of Panama
canal bonds to reimburse the treasury
for the $4,000, 900 for the original pur-
chase of the canal.
There is also re-enacted a provision
for the issue of certificates to run one
year to replenish the treasury, raising
the amount from 100000, 600 to $780,
100000, an amount sufficient to provide
at any time against two or three years
Of depressed business conditions.
The steel and lumber schedules are
cut so per cent. The tariff on boots
and shoes is reduced 40 per cent and
other leather manufactures in proper
ton. The tariff ON wool Of the first
and second class used for clothing is
not disturbed, but is reduced on the
cheaper grades. recommendations for
placing wood pulp on the free list and
reducing the duties on print paper,
with certain restrictions, as made by
the Mann committee Of the house, are
incorporated in the bill.
A cut of one-twentieth Of a cent a
pound was made on refined sugar. On
dextrin q reduction Of half q cent a
pound was made.
While there is no duty imposed on
coffee, most important provision pro-
vides that If any country shall impose
an export duty or charge Of any kind,
directly or indirectly, upon coffee ex-
ported to the United States a duty
equal to such export duty shall be
levied by this country. This will COM
pei Brazil and various other countries
in all likelihood to abolish the export
tax. Tea, however, is taxed cents
when imported from the country
where 1t is produced and cents when
from other than the producing coun'
tries.
The tax on beer and whisky is undis.
turbed.
One of the most important matters
in the bill is the provision whereby a
cOuntervaillng duty Is imposed on Pc
troIeum. OIL producers have been lob
bying to get this provision kept in the
bill.
A material increase is made on the
internal revenue tax on cigarettes.
The duties on plate glass OF the
smaller sizes are advanced, while the
duties on the larger sizes are reduced.
Most of the articles on which duties
have been increased are those classed
as luxuries. Among them are the fol-
lowing:
Perfumes and toilet articles. from 30
to 90 per cent ad vnlorem.
Fancy soap, from 10 to 20 cents per
pound.
Chicory root, raw, not dried, from !
cent to 2h cents per pound; roasted,
from 2h cents to 8 cents Der pound.