The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-09
GooD WoRK on TARIFF BILL.

Recent events in the house of repre-
sentatives would appear to dispute
definitely the frequent assertions that
the Individual members OF that body
are without a voice in the framing of
legislation. Ever since the beginning OF
the active work on the amending Of the
Payne tariff bill they have been doing
just about as they pleased with the
various features of the measure. And
for the most part, they seem to have
been acting with a wise discernment
and in the interests of the people who
have demanded a revision downward.
The duty of eight cents a pound on
tea, which Mr.. Payne and his confreres
on the ways and means committee had
an idea would be a proper thing as a
revenue raiser, has been eliminated.
This was a tax which would have
placed something of a serious burden
on what is almost a household neces-
sity. 1t could well have been borne by
the dealers in tea for that commodity
only costs them an average Of Is cents
pound laid down at the port of entry.
while the prevailing retail price of good
tea is 60 and 20 cents a pound. But 1t
would not have been. If the duty had
have been boosted and the consumer
would have been compelled to foot the
bill.
Coffee has been handled in the same
way. In the Payne bill it was nomi-
nally on the free list but that exquisite
joker in the form of a countervailing
duty was inserted in the coffee
schedule. 1t meant that a duty on cof-
fee would have been levied which would
have been equivalent to any export or
import duty placed on coffee by any
foreign country. This would have
worked out as burden to the great
bulk Of Americans who buy the coffee
of the 20 or % cents a pound grades,
the popular priced coffee. Most of such
coffee is imported from Brazil. That
country places quite an export tax on
coffee. With a countervailing duty in
force the same sized duty would have
been levied on all of the coffee i'm
ported from Brazil and this would have
meant an increase in the retail price of
the coffee in general use
So, too, did the members of the house
handle in the best possible way the
question of hides. The Payne bill
placed hides on the free list. An effort.
and it was a misguided one at best,
was made to revoke this provision and
place a duty Of at least ten per cent ad
valorem on raw hides. The present one
in the Dingley law is Is per cent ad
valorem. This proposition was rightly
voted down and hides will be on the
free list unless the senate insists to the
contrary. Where one person would
have benefited in a really small way by
duty On hides, ten persons will be
helped by free hides because of the
tendency they will have to reduce the
price of shoes.
A sort Of a compromise was effected
in regard to the lumber schedule. There
weren't enough votes to knock off the
lumber duty entirely and it will re-
main as provided for in the PAYNE bin
at 81 per thousand feet. However.
there were enough votes to kick the
proposed countervailing duty on lumber
higher than a kite, and that will help
some.
Taken all in all the members Of the
mousse have SO far had their say in re-
spect to the tariff revision and thew
nave acted with rare good judgment.