New-York tribune., 1909-05-01
REPORTS CUSTOMS
COURT MEASURE
5ySO MAXIMUM AND
MINIMUM CLAUSE.
Z ader Senate Substitute for Payne
Provision President Could 4p-
point Tariff Commission.
rr-,n, tn. Tribune Bureau-l

zr--t,-z.or, Apri1 So-The material Increase
- trs fudtciaI machinery for the enforcement OF
rns new tariff bill constitutes the most strlklhs
-. of tbe customs administrative act re-
,,o-+e5 10 the Senate to-day by Senator AldT1ch-
T. addition 10 providing for customs court OF
g.. -,e,,bers heretofore outlined in these dis
-r-,ss rrovision is made for Assistant A.
+.7.-,sv General who is to have special superN1-
Ia , OF customs. a Deputy Assistant AttorneS
1t 7eral and four attorneys.
q equal importance is the authority conferred
he President in the maximum and minimum
1xe to employ such persons as may he re
ed 70 make thorough Investigations ana eA-
nations into the production. commerce anu
Sc of the United states and foreign countries
su conditions affecting the same This
7-fSion gives such wide latitude TO the tT-
tive that he rnav easily resolve such persons
,z-iF commission should he deem that
rs. advisable This is. Of course, wholly dis
- from the tariff bureau outlined in these us
,c7es this morning. and the provision for
= rh will be reported later. although II Is ne
g. scts1ion OF the Finance Committee that the
sons employed by the President VIII cooper
st= with thA tariff bureau.
--r-o,,e7o,1+ the administrative sections there
4. rn.nifest the earnest desire Of the Finance
COMMITTEES to obtains an equitable admlnlstra :.
+fon NJ -he tariff law and 70 prevent the under s.
i.,o, for the valuation Of merchandise i'm
-,-+.5 m consignment Is made. IS foretold Ia
t.,.zs 5isna+ches. The measure provides that
.,cb merchandise "shaU not in any case be ap-
r-sise5 ~ less than the wholesale price at
which such or similar imported merchandise i
1.,4nsuv sold or freely offered for sale in usnai
-sbo1essle quantities IN the United States cue
allowance being made Of course, for the duties.
+rsrxno-ration commission. Insurance, etc II
ss the expectation Of the Finance Commlttee
that this and other provisions Of fhe 7ofIliis
+rstive sections will result in an honest ana
,,r coTIe-tion IF the duties imposed in tbs
schedule and that there Til follow Tnatefiai
tncrea.e in the customs revenues
The customs court Is to consist Of Presid1ns
.udFe and four associate justices. who are 70 be
,-r.oin+ed ~ the President and confirmed hy
the Senate Each Of the justices is 70 receivs
xels-v Of $1,000 & year The court IS 70 Or
rsnize and open in New York City within
ninety dzvs after ma iority Of tie Judges nave
qualified Sessions Of the court nnaE % heio
annually. or ofrener. 1T Boston Fllladelphla'
rssltinnore. View Orleans. Galveston. chicago
eestfls Portland ana san Franeisco- ] ne court
ir authorized 20 exercise exclusive appeliat7
i risdiction 70 review decisions of the Boare d
General Appraisers and its decisions sfaA De
n1ai TIE oourt Is provided with clerk AZ \
szhry II 5000 : -ear. an assistant cler< Al At
81 eao yea and uther clerical assistants
MAS7ef,.- = lD MINIMUM PROVISION
TIE .sssfsta... Attorney General. who viii be
under the supervision and control Of the Attor-
ney Genera. viii receive q salary Of $4,000:
the Deputy Assistant Attorney General. $500.
one attorney $4,000. and the other three, $4,000
each This legal force will have charge Of the
interests Of the government in ali matters Of re-
sppraisement and classification and all kindred
litigation
The maximum and minimum provision, also
reported to-day. provides for the assessment
after March 81. 1910. Of an additional duty Of 20
Per cent I'd valorem on imports from all coun-
tries which fail TO satisfy the President that
imports from the United States suffer no undue
discrimination but that when the President has
been 50 satisfied the rates provided in the body
of the tariff law shall. upon proclamation by the
Executive. apply. IN addition to the % per cent
I'd vslorem the measure provides further for
specific duties Of five cents pound on coffee
and zen cents 2 pound on tea imported from
those countries to whose imports under the pro-
visions Of the Law. the maximum rates would
apply.
The provision authorizing the President to
employ such persons as he may require to con
duct Investigations under the maximum and
minimum provision is SO broad IS TO leave en-
tirely 70 the discretion of the Executive the
number Of such persons 70 he employed and the
compensation they are 10 receive. Senator
Beveridge and other advocates Of a tariff com
mission express themselves as entirely satisfied
With this provision They say that from inter
views with the President on the subject they
are confident ne viii exercise the authority con-
ferred upon him TO employ experts anci organize
them into such commission as they have Ions
advocated. The only criticism advanced by the
most ardent supporters Of the tariff commits
sion plan is that the law fails confer Ilpor tbs
proposed experts the right TO summon wftnesse.
and examine the books of manufacturers and
other producers.
The Senates maximum and minimum provi-
sion is practically a reversal of that originally
placed in the Payne bill Instead Of the maxi
mum rates applying automatically against {
country which discriminates in its tariff law.
against the products Of the United States. tht
Finance Committees substitute makes the maxi
mum rates applicable to all countries aftel
March 81. 1870, and then gives the President the
power 10 apply the minimum rates TO thos,
countries which give the United States equa
concessions with other countries But the Presi.
dent must in his proclamation declare that tbs
country which is favored with the minimum
rates does not impose any terms or restrictions
either In the way OF tariff rates or trade or other
regulations, directly indirectly. upon the sale
or importation into that country Of any product
Of the United States This. in effect. is the re-
quirenent which in the House bill.
not LIKELY TO AFFECT BRAZIL.
In addition the Senate provision requires that
r. country 70 receive the minimum rates of the
American tariff cannot impose any expors