Evening star., 1909-04-30
TARIFF M AND NJ OUT
Senate Committee Raises
Maximum to rs Per Cent.
LANGUAGE OF THE CLAUSE
Special Imposts on Coffee and Tea
Authorized.
THIS WON'T AFFECT BRAZIL
Oriental Countries Thinking of Put
ting Duty on American Goods
Had Better Watch Out.
LANGUAGE OF THE CLAUSE
THIS WON'T AFFECT BRAZIL

The Senate committee on finance today
reported the maximum and minimum"
provision for the new tariff bill. The
maximum rate is raised to 25 per cent, as
against 20 per cent fixed by the House.
1t is also provided that duty of 5
cents a pound on coffee and 10 cents a
pound on tea can be imposed as maxi
mum provision.
Text of the Provision.
The full text of the clause follows:
.'Sec. 3 That from and after the 31st
day of March. 1910, except as otherwise
specially provided for in this section.
there shall be levied, collected and paid
on all articles when imported from any
foreign country into the United States
or into any of it's possessions Except the
Philippine Islands) the rates of 'iuty pre-
scribed by the schedules and Paragraphs
of the dutiable list of section l of this
act, and in addition thereto % per cent
ad valorem; and there shall also be
levied, collected and paid the following
rates of duty on articles upon the free
list in said section 1, namely: On coffee.
> cents per pound: on tea, 10 cents per
pound, which rates shall constitute the
general tariff of the United States.
Provided, That whenever and so long
view of the character of the concessions
granted by the minimum tariff of the
United States, that the government OF
any foreign country imposes no terms
or restrictions. either in the way of tariff
rates or provisions, trade or other reg
ulations, charges, exactons. or in any
other manner, directly or indirectly, upon
the importation into or the sale in such
foreign country of any agricultural, man
ufactured or other product of the United
"
against the United States or the products
thereof, and that such foreign country
imposes no export bounty or prohibition
upon the expectation of any article to the
United States which unduly discriminates
against the United States or the products
thereof, and that such foreign country
accords to the agricultural, manufactured
or other products of the United States
treatment which is reciprocal and equiva-
lent, then, upor proclamation TO this
effect by the President of the United
States. all articles, when imported into
the United States. or any OF its posses
sions Except the Philippine Islands),
from such foreign country shall, except
as otherwise herein provided, be ad-
mitted under the terms of the minimum
tariff of the United States. as prescribed
by section one of this act.
May Reach Any Nation.
''The proclamation issued by the Presi-
dent under the authority hereby conferred
and the application of the minimum tariff
thereupon may, In accordance with the
facts as found by the President, extend to
the whole of any foreign country, or may
be confined to or exclude from its effect
any dependency. colony. or other political
subdivision having authority to adopt and
enforce tariff legislation. or to impose re-
strictions or regulations or to grant con-
ceSSj0nS
tation Of articles which are. or may be,
imported into the United States.
Whenever the President shall be salts
fled that the conditions which led to the
issuance of the proclamation herein be-
fore authorized no longer exists he shall
issue proclamation to that effect, and
thereupon and thereafter the provisions
the importation of articles from such
country. Whenever the provisions of the
general tariff of the United States shall
be applicable to articles imported from
any foreign country they shall be appli-
cable to the products of such country.
whether imported directly from the coun-
try of production or otherwise.
ITO secure information to assist the
President in the discharge Of the duties
imposed upon him by this section, and
information which will be useful to Con-
gress in tariff legislation and to the Of
ficers of the government in the admins
tration of the customs laws, the President
is hereby authorized TO employ such per-
sons as may be required to make thor
ough Investigations and examinations into
the production, commerce and trade OF
the United States and foreign countries
and all conditions affecting the same"
Will Not Apply to Brazil.
The duty of cents pound on coffee
imposed in the maximum and minimum
paragraph reported today will not apply
TO Brazil under present circumstances
The particular phrasinS of the clause will
exempt this duty on coffee unless Brazil
should impose some further restrictions
upon American trade. 1t is not expected
that any revenue will be collected under
this tentative coffee tax, and that it is
only provided as in the nature of a COM
mercial big stick.
The tentative tax on tea will be used
to advantage in dealing with oriental
countries, some of which are manifeStins
indications of imposing restrictions upon
american trade. 1t is not likely that il
will be necessary to impose the tax. but ii
will be at hand il needed.
1t will be observed that the commit
tees amendment reported today concludes
with the authorization for the employ
ment by the President of such persons as
may be required to make thorough in
yeStigatiOnS and examinations INTO the
production. commerce and trade of the
United States and all conditions concern
| ing the same. This is proposed as a sub
stitute for the demand for tariff COM
| mission
| Beveridge Is Satisfied.
Senator Beveridge. who has been one OF
the prime movers in behalf of tariff re-
vision, said this afternoon that this pro-
vision is satisfactory for the present. and
/ that il will form the basis for the crea-
| ton Of tariff commission.
The provisions set forth in the forego-
ing have been under consideration BY the
| President and the Attorney General for
| several days and have the approval OF
the admin 'stration. 1t is not expected
that the legislation will go unchallenged
IN the Senate. 1t will probably be at
tackled by those who are working for re-
vision downward and undoubtedly will be
the subject of much discussion.
Jacinto Gets His.
Jacinto Lopez has been granted an exc
auatur by the Department of State a.
consul of Venezuela at New York city