The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-13
Finance Committee Cuts the
Tariff Rates on Hosiery,
Gloves and Many Other Fe-
male Necessities. y
REAL REDUCTIONS
ARE FOUND IN MEASURE
Changes Made in the House
Measure Bring It Near to
The Wants of the President
And People.

Washington, D. c., April 13.-For
once, at least, the women of the coun-
ry owe debt of gratitude to the Unit
ed States senate.
Mindful of their protests and as re-
buKe to the original attitude of Rep.
resentative Boutell and the subsequen.
unexpected objection OF Representative
Mann. the senate has knocked out the
Objectionable rates fixed by the house
on hosiery and gloves and has done
several other things which will be par
ticularly grateful to the women them
selves.
Moreover, the thing has been done in
such way that it is not likely the
house will insist upon its original in
creases, because the attitude of the
senate absolutely prevents the house
rates being taken as party action. =
Furthermore, the senate has made a
number of other reductions. and the
bill as the finance committee has re-
ported 1t is SO vastly superior In ev-
cry respect to that which came out
from the ways and means committee
that one wonders that the members OF
the house themselves should have been
contented at any time with any sucn
measure.
Genuine Downward Revision.
Several things are left unsettled in
!. the bill as reported from the senate
Anance committee, but the tendency is
a genuine revision downward, which
was completely ignored by the house.
On the whole, II the senate bill as re-
ported yesterday, were to be passed to-
day, It would be substantially re-
demption of the pledge in the republi-
can platform. whereas the house bill
was notoriously an effort to evade tha,
pledge.
It is comparatively easy to summarize
the senate bill. Lumber lis made Ia
pay duty Of 81 per thousand, the
same as In the house bill. Iron ore
has been taken from the free list, and
made dutiable at % cents per ton. a
reduction Of Is cents from the Dingley
rate. Common earthenware remains
the same as in the existing law, the
senate having refused to join with the
house In an underhand advance in the
class Of ware which goes on the poor
mans table.
Gloves, hosiery and the entire wool
en- schedule go back to the Dingley
rates. There are several changes in
the cotton schedules which concern
chiefly the scientific valuation of cot
ton cloth. The senate has decided 70
put cocoa. like tea and coffee, spices
and petroleum. on the free list. The
effort OF the house to prevent the i'm
portation of Turkish tobacco which Is
used largely in cigarettes, was thrown
down by the senate without hesitation
Cut on Farm Products.
The effort Of the house to cut tariff
rates on agricultural products has MOI
met the approval Of the senate commit
tee. and the Dingley rates have been
everywhere restored. Refined sugar
continues to be treated with prohio-
1tive duty. the same as was voted by
the house committee on ways and
means. Coal, hides and wood pulp
are to be given separate treatment lat
er on, and an entirely new. but ration
al maximum and minimum section will
be added to the bill after all the rates
are fixed.
For the purpose Of securing needed
revenue which was almost wholly neg
lec4ed by the house committee. the SEN
ate committee resorted to the sched.
ule which covers imported spirits.
wines and other beverages.
On the theory that the luxuries ana
not the necessities OF life should be tax.
ed. there is general advance in the
rates on all spurious beverages. For
instance, brandy is advanced frotl
42.c5 to $3.50 per proof gallon. The
increase on cordials is the same. Cham.
pagne and other sparkling wines are
assessed $3.50 per dozen quarts instead
Of s. Still wines, containing less
than II per cent OF alcohol. are to pay
IS instead OF 70 cents per gallon. and
other grades OF both still and spark
ling wines are taxed in proportion. Ale
porter. and beer advance from 40 to 4J
cents, malt extract In bottles being Civ
en- the same increase, and the lower
grades OF cherry juice and fruit spirits
advance In the same proportion.
Glove Increase Meant Loss.
That this section will produce q
large increase in the revenue Is vel
known. and 1t is strange the house
should not have resorted to this sched
ule to secure the money the treasury
needs 30 sorely. The reduction on the
prohibitive prices proposed to be flxed
by the house on gloves and hosiery
also will save positive loss Of revenue
lCoatin1sd on Pass rvol) -