Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-03-13
The Tariff Bill.

Washington, March l3 There Il
going to be a big fight in Congress over
The proposition 10 put tax on coffee.
Ia the ways and means committee the
matter hss been threashed out pro and
con. One day coffee has been left free
and the next day tax has found favor.
OF course the main object fought by the
trainers OF the bill is that it shall, 10
operation as a law, produce enough reye-
nue. to meet the necessities OF the govern.
ment. Aud lax on coffee affords such
an easy way of producing revenue that,
to some members of the committee at
least, 1t seems to be shame to Let the
opportunity pass. Although the iudi-
cations now are that the new tariff bill
as it will be reported to the House will
contain a provision for a tax on this
article the opinion is freely expressed
that when the measure becomes q law
coffee will remain upon the free list.
Advocates of the proposed tax point
out that when TIE United States first
took Of It's customs duty on coffee B'az J
Immediately proceeded to put an export
tsx on its product. The effect of this
vas 10 put into the Brazilian treasury
the revenues which would otherwise have
gone into that of the United States. II
Is claimed that If tax is now placed on
coffee BY this country BAIL would be
compelled to repeal it's export tax or loss
lie market in this country.
Another argument is, of course, thst
the tax would greatly benefit the coffee
growers Of Hawaii aud Porto Rico who
have been clamoriUg for protection Cd
their product on the ground that il they
bad fair chance 10 the American
market they would be able to supply al
Of the home demand. This plea OF
helping the American colonies at the
expense of foreign countries is reinforced
By the declaration that the coffee p'auts-
lions, unlike the lands devoted to sugar
production, are still in the hands of in
dvldual producers and are not controlled
by trust.
On the other baud members of both
the House and Senate are being over
gheIned i0 cva'y mail with letters from
individuais d ,om labor orgauiza ions
protesting ag.nst the proposed taxation
If the "working mans beverage"
These letters are insisltnt and are COM
iug iu such numbers as 10 suggest that
an organized campaign has been started
among the laborlug classes to prevent
the proposed legislation They are M.
doubtedly having a considerable effect
10 arousiDg sentiment against the taxa
ton of coffee and are making many votes
against that proposition should it be
submitted by the wsys aud means com
miltee
S.nst,r Burrows, Of Michigan, who,
next to S3nstor Aldrich, is the leading
member Of thtSena,e finance committee,
favors the tax on coffee as revenue
MEASURE. He does rot share the optim.
lam of Aldrich who is reported as belisv-
ing that the special session will be con.
clude1 in May or esfly iu Juue.
Senator Burrows said TO-DAY that be
hoped the tariff bill would be In the
hands Of President TAFT for his signature
not later than July 1st but that be
would not be surprised If 1t should be
delayed for some time later.
"The democrats with their ideas Of
free trade" he ssid, "will be the chief
obstacles to the early passage of the
bill. They claim that they waut tariff
tor revenue only but you will see that
they will be insistsnt for tsriffi upon
sugar, lumber, cotton, fruits, vegetables,
etc. As for myself | do not view this
tariff question as q state issue. l be.
leve 10 looking at 1t from a natioDal
standpoint and that the products of Mis-
issippi are just as much entitled to pro-
lection as are those of Michigan"