The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-04-16
NEWS FROM THE
NATIONS CAPITAL
THE PAYNE TARIFF BILL is
THROUGH HOUSE.
FREE LUMBER FINALLY LOST
Senate Revision Will Be More Thor.
ough-Committee Cuts Rates
in Many Instances.
FREE LUMBER FINALLY LOST

Washington-After three weeks Of
consideration the Payne tariff bill
was passed by the house of repre-
sentatives amid great excitement.
An attempt by Champ Clark, minori-
ty leader, to recommit the bill with
instructions signally failed The sit
uations with respect to lumber was
great relieved to the Republican
leaders when it became manifest
that the advocates of placing it on
the free list were in the minority.
The bill was introduced on March
IT, reported to the house by the
ways and means cmmittee on the fol-
lowing day and was under general
debate for 16 days.
One of the principal changes in
the bill was the placing of petroleum
on the free list. Among other i'm
portant amendments made since the
bill came from the committee were
those striking out the provision for
QuLy on Tea duu TIC COuhlOl foAih6
duty provision on coffee.
The drawback section was added to
the bill so that it could not be taken
advantage of for specializing In
grain, and the Philippine free trade
provision was amended so that rice
will not be admitted free from the
islands.
The countervailing duty clause on
lumber was stricken out, but a
strong effort to place lumber on the
free list did not succeed.
The duties on barley malt, pine
apples in, crates and cotton collars
and cuffs, as originally in the bill,
were increased. A proviso was in
cluded in the tobacco schedule in
creasing the duty on filler tobacco
from any county which prohibits the
importation of American tobacco.
There were several technical
changes in the steel schedule, prin-
cipally downward. Hides, hosiery
and gloves were left as reported by
the committee, hides remaining free
and an increased duty being present
ed for gloves and stockings. The
contest over free petroleum was
stubborn, but the vote in its favor
was overwhelming.
The estimates of the revenues
which the Payne tariff bill will pro-
duce have been reduced nearly $780,
100000 through the amendments
made by the house. The senate
finance committee must provide
means for making up this difference.
The senate tariff bill, so far as
rates are concerned, is complete, but
1t was decided that in making a re-
port, Chairman Aldrich will an
pounce a reservation of certain i'm
portant schedules for future action.
These reservations will include
hides, steel rails, wood pulp and
crude petroleum.
Aldrich asserted that the senate
committee had made a more general
revision of rates than was made by
the house committee on ways and
means, and that reductions had been
made on a greater number of ar
ticles. This did not mean that there
would be a reduction of revenue,
but there would be recommended a
n nf the
tariff.
In the report made to the senate,
hides will go on the free list, as
provided by the Payne bill, but a
question of fixing rate in accord
ance with the sentiment of the sem
ate, as expressed through a canvass
taken by Western senators, will be
taken up in the near future.
No decision has been reached on
the subject of wood pulp The same
is true of crude petroleum.
The duty on lumber also promises
to occasion debate in the senate, and
while no change from the Payne bill
will be recommended, it is predicted
that a number of amendments will
be offered on the floor of the senate.
Protests made by heavy importers
of gloves and hosiery against the in
crease made by the Payne bill over
the existing Dingley rates, as well as
protests made by thousands of wo-
men throughout the country, In
duced the senate committee to agree
to recommend continuance of the
Dingley rates.
The prospect for an appropriation
by congress to meet President Taft's
expenses on an extensive trip to the
West are improving. Senator Jones
80 uyaoh{n0ton has stated that he