The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-07-23
TARIFF BILL NEARS
JOURNEYS END AFTER
STORM TOSSED TRIP
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ARE
BUSY At WORK AND END rs
IN SIGHT.
TAFT WILL sign MEASURE
Number Of Paragraphs That Will Be
Hard to HandIe-GloVe Rate Wor-
ries the Solons-Print Paper Is
Under Discussion.

| RES the SolOls-TTihk FaPSt
Under Discussion.
WASHINGTON, July 19.-The tar
in bill is nearing the end Of its ad
venturous journey through the wilder
ness Of conflicting political local and
commercial interests, in which, so tc
speak. it has been an imperiled way
farer since the beginning of the extra
ordinary session of Congress convex
ed by President Taft Immediately up
on his Inauguration nearly Ave months
ago.
The Conference Committee is now
Inear the end of its task, and its re-
| port is expected to be completed in
the last part of this week. How long
it will take the Senate and House TO
pass finally upon the work Of the Con-
ference Committee, and what will be
the ultimate fate of the measure as a
whole, is a subject of varying conject-
ure, but the general impression in
quarters usually well informed is that
the report Of the committee will be
adopted by both houses, and will
reach the hands of the President early
next week.
Most people here expect that Pres
ident Taft will sign the bill. He him
self caused furry throughout con-
gress last Friday night by the issu-
ance of what amounted to an informal
message to congress in which he reit-
Grated his conviction that the national
platform of the Republican party
meant and the sentiment of the peo-
pie as a whole demanded bona fide
downward revision of the tariff. After
all is said this statement really sur
prised nobody, as the President had !
said substantially the same thing in
his recent speech at New Haven, but
served to crystalize the somewhat
fuctuating sentiment in the confer
ence, and it may have expedited the
committees action.
In all probability, the five subjects !
which have received President Tafts |
personal attention-iron ore, coal,
hides, oil and lumber-will be taken
I'D by the conferees during the latter
part of the present week. There are
a number of paragraphs in the bill
which cannot be disposed OF until the
rates are determined for the subjects
named. Proceeding upon the assump-
ton that iron ore and oil will be plac-
ed upon the free list, and that the ex-
isting duties upon coal, hides and lum-
Der will be materially reduced, the
,onferees are preparing amendments
to be offered on articles relating to
the foregoing raw materials. In con-
sequence, all of these subjects may be
disposed of Immediately after duties |
have been determined for the more
important subjects.
Outside of the questions which are
receiving the personal attention of
President Taft, the greatest difficulty
relates to the wood pulp ;
and print paper schedule. On account
Of the statement of Representative
Mann of Illinois, who was chairman of :
he special committee which investi-
gated this whole subject and reported
'educed rates to the house, that he :
would vote against the conference re- ;
port unless the views of his special )
committee were recognized, the con- ;
erees have delayed disposition of this
schedule.
The House rate on print paper was
liked at 81 a ton. The Senate rate is
"A ton as against the existing rate
If Sc a ton. The general impression
S that the Senate conferees will offer
o compromise with the House by
agreeing to accept a rate of SO. Sen
ltor Hale is opposing any reduction /
If the Senate rate; therefore the sub
ect is likely to be one of the last set /
led
The paragraph affecting women's
doves, on which the House advanced a
he existing rates, is among those on l
which action has been deferred. The
senate conferees are holding out for =
IN amendment restoring Dingley Il
ates. A compromise has been sug- B
,ested which puts schmaschen gloves
IN the free list This is the cheapest +
dove manufactured and is not made f
n the United States 1T all. They re- e
all at about rs cents a pair and 1t is q
aid the effect would be to reduce this
etail price to about fifty cents pair.
The compromise contemplates leaving
he rates on the higher grades the
anne as they were fixed by the House.
The Senate conferees are insisting
non the increase made in the duty on
emons. The existing rate is l cent
III. H. a Nhfa 20