Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-21
" WASHINGTON / NOTES

= T.
ure IN number of conferences Mon
day and is living up to the prediction
made many weeks ago that in the
conference consideration of the tariff
bill he would lend his influence to
conciliate all differences.
At conference at the White
House it was definitely decided that
the rate to be levied under the new
corporation tax shall be reduced from
two per cent. to one per cent, and
that in redrafting the measure now in
conference along with the tariff bill,
due consideration will be given to
the demands of the mutual life in
surance companies, whose incomes
would have been seriously affected.
The tariff conferees made satisfac-
tory progress Monday in spite of the
fact that the House members were
compelled to be absent much Of the
time on account of the session Of the
House. Thus far, however, the
amendments agreed upon in the
chemical, earthenware, metal and
wood schedules have been of minor
Importance.
BY passing over the cotton and
WOODEN schedules without taking any
Of the amended paragraphs, and skip
ping the disputed points connected
with the rates on lumber in the wood
schedule, the tariff conferees were
allie to dispose of about 400 amend
ments Tuesday. This number however
includes subjects that were settled
tentatively on Monday and Saturday.
Many important subjects, such as
the House drawbacks features in the
alcohol paragraph, the rates on oil
cloth and the various items under the
head of Autographs, were submitted
to sub-conferees. The treasury ex-
perts who helped the Senate finance
committee in its consideration of the
bill are assisting the conferees in
gathering information about these
subjects.
A representative of The Associated
Press Tuesday interrogated one of
the conferees as to the progress that
has been made. A list Of practically
all of the amended paragraphs Of
public interest was submitted to him.
Strenuous objections were raised
by the House members Of the tariff
conference Wednesday to the Senate
provision in the maximum and mini
mum feature Of the tariff bill, which
gives to the President authority to
employ such persons as he may de-
sire to aid him in enforcing the tariff
laws and which will be useful to Con-
gress in tariff legislation in the fu.
ture.
The provision which provides for
the establishment of a court of GUS
toms appeals was adopted. 1t is in
tended that this court shall deal with
all cases of appeal from the board
of general appraisers and that its
judgment shall be final. The salaries
of the five judges were fixed at $10,-
900, instead of $1,000 as provided by
the Senate amendment.
The Senate maximum and mini
mum provision was agreed upon ten
tatively as a substitute for the House
feature, with the exception of the
provision fol, the employment Of tar
lift experts. The House conferees
claimed that the House ways and
means committee and the Senate f.
nance committee have the investiga-
tion of tariff matters as their special
province.
Twenty-four hours would see the
end of the work of the Senate and
House conferees on the tariff bill,
and substantil agreement upon the
questions at issue but for the five
propositions--iron ore, coal, hides,
oil and lumber--upon which the Pres
ident stands firm for radical reduc-
tion or even abolition of the tariff.
Great progress was made by the
conferees Friday. A preponderance
of the differences have been adjusted
In each schedule, however, are few
items that have necessitated investi-
CATION in order to enable the con-
ferees to get together. This is true
of lead products, such as paints, in
the chemical schedule; numerous ar
ticles in the metal schedule on which
the rates depend upon the settlement
of the iron ore question; the demand
for a change in the classification of
wool tops; the change from ad valo-
rem to specific rates on cotton goods;
the increase made by the House on
gloves. and the wood pulp and print
paper contest. The rates on silks and
woolen goods were determined Fri.
day. The Senate won in both cases.
On silks there will be considerable
advance over existing duties; on
woolen, no change from the present
law except in regard to wool tops,
which are to be given new classi-
fcation. The duty on tops is prohibi-
tive now, and it is predicted that il
will continue so, even after the re-
duetion is put into force. The Senate
provision reenacted the Dingley rates
of the whole wooden schedule, while
the House provided for material re-
d11ntinns