The Washington herald., 1909-03-22
A Highly Protective Tariff Bill

The reception of the Payne bill through
out the country has been rather favor
,ble than otherwise. on the assumption
hat II embodies "a genuine attempt at
sriff revision downward. This assump-
ion is based on the general reductions
= the iron and steel schedules. in the
.mber schedule, and in a few other
1stances. and or the transfer of iron
re. hides. and some other articles 10
e free list. There are not many
hanges in the manufactured goods
-hedules. however. and some Of these
re upward. BY means Of alterations
the classifcations Of cotton goods
ne general rate Of duty is increased on
1any lines OF cloths; and the same is
rue OF the silk schedule Duties on
-oOlen goods remain unchanged. but
here are a number Of alterations IA
rorable TO carpet manufacturers. A not
bile Increase of duty is that on stock
lgs knit by machinery. Moreover, the
1aximum rate. which is in most cases
. per cent above the regular rates. will
apply TO probably three-fourths OF the
otal importations into the United States.
% that on many commodities the Payne
IN rates will be actually higher by %
er cent or more than the Dingley rates.
addition. the provision for the valua-
ion Of consigned goods at the wholesale
7rice in this country will operate. so
ar as it operates at all, 10 increase the
arif impost and 10 check imports.
It also appears that coffee. which re-
mains on the free list, will actually pay
q small duty wnen imported from coun-
,ries imposing an export tax. The bulk
4 the coffee imported does pay such
AK IN the country Of origin, and in sew
eral Brazilian provinces the export tax
IS part Of the so-called valorization
scheme, by which 1t is sought to main
tain the price or coffee and limit its
production. In these provinces the ex-
port tax is likely to remain for some
years to come, or until the obligations
created by valorization have been Iiqui-
dated. The export duties imposed by
coffee-producing countries on the berry
are given by a New York coffee broker
as follows:
Brazl-Rio. Z cent per pound.
Victoria cent per pound
Bahia-Probably sau1s as Rio.
Santos-sso Paulo. nov about 2ss cents Ter
pound, With the % Der cent ad valorem interest.
or SIS cents Der pound exclusive Of this
PENALTY duty
Colombia-No duty.
Nexico-No duty
Costa Rica-No duty
Duteh East Indies-No duty.
Guatsmala-S1 gold Ter 100 pouudsi ! cent Per
pound
vsnszuela-Ab0ut 50 cents pcr 100 pounds; 4-5
cent per pound
Nicazgua-Fifty cents Der 100 pounds; a cent
per pO1nd
salvador-Forty cents Der 100 pounds; 25 cent
Per pound.
Hayti-5 gold Per 100 pounds. French weight
(about los pounds American weight; scant 3 cents
per pound
Thus. with tea dutiable at and 9 cents,
and sugar sun highly protected, the
breakfast table IS taxed after all, though
strenuous efforts are made to prove that
in the case Of tea and coffee the con-
sumer will not pay the tax. As to this,
the consumer merely has to refresh his
memory concerning the 1O-cent Spanish
war tax on tea, which was added bod
ily to the retail price.
Putting all these facts together. and
looking at the Payne bill as a whole.
the conclusion is reached that It is a
highly protective measure. Such revi-
siOns downward as appear are wholly
In the interest Of manufacturers, who are
given freer access 10 raw materials. but
every native industry is exceedingly we'll
protected. even the iron and steel in
terests. with which no foreign makers
Of iron and steel products could com
pete on even terms. even if there were
free trade in those products. The prin-
ciple Of free raw materials is a proper
and wholly eommendable one. OF course
but it remains 10 be seen whether the
ultimate consumer viii gain any ad-
vantage therefrom in cheaper food. cloth
ing. or shelter. II is certain thar the
ultimate consumer can find little or
nothing to his direct advantage In the
Payne bill. If anything comes 10 him #
will be through concessions on the part
Of highly protected manufacturers In con-
troll Of the home market-a condition that
makes for larger profits rather than
cheaper prices. On the other hand. the
ultimate consumer" Is taxed. as here
tofore. on the bulk Of imported commodi-
ties, and in addition must pay a duty
on tea, coffee. and cocoa. all now on the
free list. To Offset this, he gets some
concessions on lumber and window glass.
Finally. the poor Fllipinos are handed
beautiful lemon in free trade, with
restrictions that promise TO make the
sugar business in the islands a sort OF
gamble Our fmportations of sugar not
above 1s Dutch standard from the Phil
lppine Islands in the calendar year 1905
amounted TO approximately 100000 tons.
OF 10000 tons in excess OF the limit i'm
posed in the Payne bill Should sugar
production in the islands continue tn
develop. the restriction on imports of
sugar therefrom simply means that a part