The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-06
Is Stricken from the Tariff Bill
by Large Vote.
TO PUT HIDES BACK.
Scott of Kansas Tries to Restore
Dingley Schedule.
Miller VIII Strive for a Duty
on Barley.

Washington, April 6.-The house
today overwhelmingly adopted the
Fordney amendment to the Payne tar
lift BILL striking out the provision for
a countervailing duty on lumber
With the senate not In session, in
terest at the capitol today centered
in the proceedings of the house. Gem
era1 debate on the Payne tariff bill
having been closed by the adoption
yesterday of the special order report
ed by the committee on rules the dis
cussion hinged on amendments to the
bill under the five minute rule.
When the house adjourned yester-
day there was pending an amendment
by Mr.. Fordney of Michigan, remov-
ing the countervailing duty on lum-
Der. Representative Tawney of Min
nesota, was expected to present
resolution seeking to place lu.>,Der on
the free list.
Scott's Amendment.
An amendment to the paragraph on
hides was prepared by Representatives
Scott of Kansas. The amendment will
restore the phraseology of the Ding
ley law and provide for a duty of 10
present law is Is per cent A close
vote is expected, but with the assist
ance of a few Democratic votes those
who are urging the change claim
IL
should it fail of adoption. it is prob
able an amendment making the duty
five per cent win be offered. The
Payne bill places hides on the free
list.
The effort to have duty of 25 per
cent on barley and to restore the
DingIey rate of As cents per bushel
on barley malt will be shaped into an
amendment which will be offered by
Representative Miller of Kansas.
will be put to the committee of the
whole by the chairman 1t provides
that the countervailing duty clause
shall be stricken out and a duty of %
fined petroleum substituted. This rate
will make the average duty ON refined
petroleum one cent per gallon and
about one-half a cent on the crude.
The present provision makes the rate
average between four and six cents
per gallon.
House in a Snarl.
When the house opened today a par
liamentary snarl was at once encount-
cred as to whether or not amend
ments would be permitted under the
rule adopted yesterday. The point was
raised by Minority Leader Clark. A.
number of members were Immediately
on their feet endeavoring to put their
construction upon the rule and to al
lay the impending excitement. The
chair had the rule read for infcrma-
ton. Messrs. Fitzgerald of New
York, Dalze1l of Pennsylvania, both
on the committee on rules, contended
that individual amendments under the
rule could be offered.
The Republican members of the
ways and means committee met at 10
O'Clock to consider further amend
ments to the Payne bill. The duties
on pig iron and scrap iron and the
reciprocity clause OF the coal sched-
ules are the principal items regarding
which the committee is being urged
to make changes. The paper Schedule
is also under consideration for amende
ment.
La countervailing duty, such as the
one voted down today in respect to
the lumber schedule, is duty which
would be equivalent to any import or
export duty placed on lumber by ayv
foreign country In other words, If an
article or commodity was on the free
list in this country, and the counter
va1i1ng principle prevailed, and there
was an export or import tax on this
article or commodity imposed by
France. for example, then the same
ticle or commodity as might be inn
ported to this country from France.
| Then again If the United States tarisf
\ on any article or commodity was low
/ er than that fixed by a foreign coun-
| try, the duty would be raised until Il
was equal to that placed upon 1t by
the foreign country but only as 1t re-
lated to the dealings in such things
| from that country, and not from all
countries. A countervailing duty Is in
reality retaliatory duty.1