The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-03-18
LAST-HOUR CHANGES
CAUSE COMMENT
Democrats May Try to Force
Investigation of Tariff
Bill Alteration.
NEW DEPARTURES
FROM DINGLEY RATE
Need of Revenue Makes Drastic
Cut From Present Duties
Impossible.

stories OF the eleNe0tl-nGuT changes
IN the tariff bill continue to divide in
terest with the discussion of the pro-
} visions of the bill itself. Everything
is now awaiting whatever action the
Democrats may decide TO take, II being
strongly intimated that they will try
10 force an investigation of the al
legged changes in the last hours Of the
bills consideration by the committee.
Those relating to the countervailing
duty on coffee, on petroleum, and its
by products, and the internal revenue
TAX on peer, are the ones which attract
most interest.
Representative Kustermann. Of Wis
consin. who opened, more than year
ago, the fight against the counteTvail-
ing duty on petroleum, expressed as
constituent that this duty appeared in
the bill.
Causes Surprise.
y have no explanation of At" he
said II had been working with the
members of the committee In the effort
10 get them to drop this duty out Of
the bill, and was positively informed
by them that IT had been dropped and
would not appear.
There was never an intimation to me
that this program had been changed,
and when I received my copy of the
bill and looked II over, finding the
countervsiling provision there in cold
type. was as thoroughly surprised as
1 ever was in my life"
Enough may readily be absorbed of
the new Payne tariff bill TO show that
IL makes fewer radical changes than
war. This fact had been discounted In
advance, in large measure, for two rea-
T, sons; one that the duties in the Ding
lev act were so high that very Few OF
them could be touched except IN the
way of reduction without rendering
them imperative, and the other that
the country needs money too much 10
permit of changes which would nave a
tendency to disturb the even flow OF
trade.
AS far as the Ways and Means Com
Inittee is concerned, Congress has been
little impressed by the demonstrations
made before 70 by interests which have
tried to win exceptional favors from the
new bill. The wooden men nave sue
ceeded best. but their victory is IN hold,
ing the duties where they are, ana
were won by standing solidly with the
wool growers.
TheY present the anomalous situa-
ton Of an industry groaning under IN
reasonable burdens upon their raw ma
terial yet refraining from trying 10
modify the tax for fear of worse Things
in the way Of retaliation from the
farming interests.
Special Interests Fail.
In most particulars the Ways and
Means Committee has refused to be
stampeded by any Of the special inter
ests. II has declined to strike blow
AT German trade by raising the chem
zeal schedule materially. and it answered
the arguments OF the iron and steel
men that tariff reduction spelled ruin,
by reducing the duties all along the line
on partly manufactured iron and steel.
The lumber lobby has not made the
impression il hoped as the dollar duty
eEue purposes: and although the Senate
is expected by the lUmbermen to in
, crease the duty to $50. the question Of
protection as exploited by the lumber
lobby will not enter into the decision.
The committee braves the wrath OF
the cattle raisers by removing the 10
per cent duty from hides and takes the
boot and shoe men at their word by
reducing by 40 per cent the duty on boots
and shoes. On the hide question the
bitterest fight Of all will be made.
Gossip at the Capitol insists that the
deal between the Tammany and or
garization forces in the House over the
rules included also some tariff consid-
erations. In proof OF this fact IL Is
extra tax on beer. Whatever signif-
canoe this fact may have is accentu-
attd by the further fact that the duty
barley is reduced 80 per cent, OF
rom 30 70 Is cents a bushel, while bar
ley malt comes down from A. 70 p
cents.
Bill Favors Canada
1t is a popularity Of the Payne bill,
although probably not an intentional
one, that It Is more favorable TO Can
ada and less to South and Central
America than might have been ex-
pected. The proposed reciprocity in
coal, the reduction Of the lumber du-
ties. the reductions in several food
stuffs, including fresh meats, all may
apply 10 Canada with benefit. while
they are Of little interest 10 South
America except, perhaps, Argentina,
with her meats Free hides Of course.
directly benefit Argentina, but the
threat IN the coffee provision requiring
the coffee states OF South America to
sacrifice their income from export taxes
on the berry, may have an unfortunate
effect upon South American trade re-
laticns generally.
The point I'm the coffee item is that
under the present conditions the coffee
producing countries are getting ali the
benefit from the expectation OF coffee
ard the United States none. II is as
II 100000 pounds Of coffee were
shipped from this country to Brazil
paying duty 70 Brazil and thus swelling
her treasury. The bin provides that
coffee imported into the United States
shall paw a duty equal 10 the export
tax levied upon it in the producing coun-
Try.
in Nicaragua this tax is cents q
pound: and IL ranges down from that
tho average Brazilian tax being 2.T
cents a pound. This is wholly apari
from the tax which the Brazilian gov
eminent levies upon coffee for the ben.
eft % the valorization scheme amount
ing 10 francs a bag. The coffee coun.
tries. IL IS believed, cannot afford tC