The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-18
CONGRESS BEGINS
WORK ON TARIFF
BILL TODAY
General Debate Suspended
Until Monday
DEMOCRATS SEEK PRIVILEGES
Remember That Their Opportunities
for Discussing and Amending
Dineley Bill Were Limited.

membership of the House committee
on ways and means, including Demo
Gratis as well as Republican. will meet
at 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning for
the formal consideration of the Payne
tariff bill which saw the light for the
first time in the House today. The
Senate committe on finance will at
the same time begin formal consider
alton of the measure.
The probabilities are that the House
committee win have only one sitting
on the bill, that the measure will be
reported to the House Immediately af'
ter it convenes tomorrow and that It's
formal reading in committee of the
whole will soon begin. General debate
will be postponed until Monday II
Mr.. Payne's present program is fol-
lowed, and after that time the meas
ure probably will be before the House
from ten days to two weeks.
No announcement as to the length
Of time that will be given for debate
has been made and Mr.. Payne is quite
wary on this point The Dingley bill
was under discussion in the House for
only ten days, and of that time four
days were devoted to general debate.
It was considered under a rule fixing
the hours of meeting, limiting the
time of debate and prescribing the
method OF offering amendments. The
Democrats still remember that under
the regulation concerning amend
ments they found no opportunity to
force test votes on particular sched-
ules Under the rule the committee
could present amendments but indi-
yidual members could only suggest
changes in the schedules under con-
sideration.
AS the entire six days we're devot-
ed to the first schedule dealing with
chemicals and drugs, they found very
little opportunity TO make effective
suggestions. They probably will re-
sist such a rule for the consideration
of the present bill Whether there
will be any rule regulating the consid-
Grafton of the Payne bill remains to
be seen. 1t is Mr. Payns present
| purpose TO begin the general debate
asking to have a rule brought in, and
! whether any will be ordered probab-
| " will depend on circumstances. He
! expects also to give somewhat more
! time for the consideration of the bill
| by the House than was given to the
Dingley measure. 1t is realized that
the debate on Mr.. Dingley's PROPOSE
ton was begun on March %, twelve
years ago, the same day of the same
month on which the general discus
sion of the Payne bill begins. On the
former occasion all discussion ended
and a vote was taken on the 3lst OF
March. Under present conditions
Mr.. Payne thinks 1t would be desir
able to give somewhat more time
but he declines absolutely to say how
much more.
The steel schedules undergo the
heaviest reductions. the majority oil
the large steel and iron items are
cut 80 per cert.
Coffee, while left on the free list
is one of the seventy-odd items thai
may take the 20 per cent duty In case
country from which we import II
should fail TO give us absolutely equal
ity with every other nation on every
other schedule.
Hides is another item on the free
list that may come back under a duty
heavier than ever In the present
law hides are under a duty of Is pei
cent. The bill puts them on the free
list, but with the reservation tha
the item is subject to the maximum
and minimum tariff provision which
might easily restore 1t to the duty o
20 per cent, per cent higher than a
present
An option is created permitting thu
imposition of duty of 20 per cen
on petroleum which is at present OF
the free list
there is a slight increase in tn,
duties of wines
Perfumeries and toilet articles ar
raised from so to 60 per cent, cocoa |
transferred from the free list to tn
dutiable schedule at cents pc
pound
Spices, which have largely been o.
the free list, are assessed an averag
duty of 80 per cent.
In fruits there is a slight increas
in the duties on figs, lemons and pine
apples.
There is an increase of duty Of
cent per yard on mercerized cotto
fabrics.
The reductions are much nor
Il numerous than the increases in tn
/ schedule on chemicals, oils an
Il paints.
II On marble, sawed or dressed, tf
II reduction is about one-sixth and Ii
II additional duty, III rubbed in who
II or in part is reduced from 3 cents
II cents per superficial foot.
II There is slight reduction in Il
II duties on lead and zinc and lead an
zinc ores.
II The duty on lumber Is reduced fro
II one cent to u cut per cubic foot c
II sawed lumber the duty is cut In ha
II with the exception of clapboards
II which the duty is reduced from ST.
II to 81. Fence posts and kindliI
II wood are put on the free list.
II On agricultural and meat produc
II there is a reduction of duty rangil
H from 90 to 20 per cent. On grea
wool the duty is cut from one-half
cent to one.fourth of a cent.
ii on thread there is a reduction
coarse from 10 to 10 cents.
shirts, Collars, and cuffs of cottc
from 40 cents per dozen and 10 y