The Washington herald., 1909-04-13

How many 5okers are there IN the tariff
bin reported 10 the Senate yesterday By
Chairman AIdrich. Of the Committee on
Finance?
That was the leading question in Con
gressionaI circles yesterday afternoon.
and the answers TO it were voIumlnous.
vague. and violent
Tariff experts in the Senate say there
are none. but Democrats in the House. as
well as in the upper branch Of Congress.
contradict this with all kinds Of Eng
lish language. and even the Cannon
Payne-D -DaIzen forces are said 20 be dis
satisfied 10 a marked degree.
Mr. AIdrich issued long statement
with the bin. TO the effect that, while
only few OF the Payne schedules had
been increased. three times. that many
had been decreased. This is admitted.
but at the same time II is charged that
the ones reduced are stm at protective
figures. and that the ones Increased are
taken from the revenue class and placed
in the column OF value 20 special interests.
Did Not Estimate Revenue.
Mr. Aldrich failed 10 give a statement
as 70 the amount Of revenues he expects
20 derive from his bill. nevertheless. he
asserts that the measure as a whole con-
tains lower taxes than the bill as passed
by the House.
IN opposition 10 this statement IL is de-
clared that no legislation is before the
House 20 raise revenues. and the question
is quietly put How can IL pay the eX-
penses Of the government with all the
protection clauses II contains"
Arrival Of the bin from the committee
yesterday brought forth a storm Of pro-
test from the minority members Of the
Senate. and the Democratic members OF
the Finance Committee cid not fail 70
say just what they thought Of railroad
ing" the measure through The committee
without giving them chance 10 see any
Of the changes made.
Senator Daniel OF Virginia. the ranking
Democrat characterized the action OF the
Finance Committee as tyrannical. and
declared Il was not fair not what was
promised. and certainly not conducive to
the best results"
Anyway, II was reported. and the Sen
ate almost Immediately adjourned until
Thursday. when the general discussions
viii begin. In the meantime. the Demo-
Gratis viii make a careful study Of the
measure. and be prepared 10 offer amend
mendS by the score rs soon as this part
OF the programme is reached
AT first glance the bill does show a
reduction in about forty OF the schedules
Of the PAYNE bin. Yet. few Of these are
placed at lower figures than were provid-
ed by the Dingiey law. IN fact. IL is
asserted by Democratic members Of both
branches OF Congress that the Dingley
act was taken as a standard. and the
rates. IN many instances. changed only
slightly from the duties imposed by that
act The Payne duties. agreed upon by
the WAYS and Means Committee after
four months or hearings. were disregard
I'd totally. il is said
Resemblance TO Payne BIZ.
The bill as reported to the Senate con-
tains only two Of the three sections OF
the Payne bill. The first section con-
tains the dutiable lisc' ana the second
the list Of articles 10 be admitted free.
Tie administrative features have all been
held back. and viii be written and ap-
proved by Chairman Aldrich. the Attor-
hey General, and the President. This
section OF the bill win be reported the
last Of the week or the first OF next week.
it IS said In this section is the minimum
ami maximum provision. that caused so
much disapproval Of the Payne bin.
Senator Cummins. OF Iowa. yesterday
introduced an amendment 10 the tariff
bin directing the placing Of such articles
of import on the free list IN the produc-
ton OF which in the United States com
petition shall have ceased 10 exist.
The question OF whether or not COM
petition has actually ceased is one FOR
judicial Interpretation. and may be raised
by a petition for injunction IN the Fed
eral Court to prevent the collector OF Gus
toms from collecting the duty
The Senate committee restored iron ore
10 the dutiable list at . cents per ton.
This is a reduction Of Is cents from
the Dingley rate. out transfers IL from
the free list OF the Payne bill Many
of the other reductions made by the
House in the iron schedules have been
retained by the Senate committee. but
none Of them. it is said, reduced 10 &.
strict revenue basis. Round iron and
steel. smaller than number sixteen wire
has been put under duty OF / 81 cents
a pound. The Payne bill imposed a duty
OF 1 1-2 cents a pound on this article.
Wire rods valued at less than 4 cents a
pound. have been reduced from four
tenths 10 three-ten1hs OF a cent a pound
the duty on the same article valued at
more tran cents has been reduced
from three-fOurths 20 six-tenths OF a cent
& pound. Round iron or steel wire
Fo,sFv.uad -. n-,. A s-or-- -