Middletown transcript., 1909-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER

Il The new tariff measure which takes i
] name, the Payne Bill, from Chairma
Payne of the Ways and Means Con
mlttee, taken as a whole. makes provi
ion for a material reduction Of the dutie
imposed BY the Dingley law, and expert
predict tina It wilt at the same time pre-
duce an p'rtaDt increase OF revenue
1t is estimated, by the trainers Of the bill
that its revenue producing power will b
SSS5,0OO from imports, and $275, 900, ,O0
frou internal revenue, making an in
crease inthe governments annual reyenu,
$l0,OOO,OOO.
The provision for a graduated inheri
tance tax, similar to that of New York, il
the most striking innovation and the sys
tenn OF maximum and minimum duties
whereby the principle Of reciprocity is to
be carried out practically automatically,
Is another innovation. To make up the
needed revenues, among other provisions,
iuxuries have been transferred to the
dutiable list, such as perfumes and highly
perfumed soaps, and long list of spices
have been taken from the free list and
put upon the dutiable schedules.
1t is expected that general debate ON
the Payne bill will begin in the House on
Tuesday next, as the minority members
Of the committee on ways and means have
been given until'that day to file their re-
ports, and the present indications are that
party lines will be eliminated during the
consideration of the bill. Each member
oil the House will look after the interests
iofhis own district during the fight, with
but few exceptions.
~
Secretary McVeagh of the Treasury De.
partrnent expressed satisfaction with the
general features of the new tariff bill.
From the viewpoint of the Treasury De.
partnlent the maximum and minimum
feature Of the bill is one of it's most i'm.
portant provision, giving the government
a weapon by which it is in a position to
Tetaliate for any discrimination sought to
be practiced by foreign government, and
It is considered that in this way the inte..
estsof American exporters will be consery-
ed and promoted.
Another feature of the bill commended
by the Treasury officials is the paragraph
an improved way of establish.
ing market value" for imports. The
new bill provides that in the absence of
home market in the country of origin.
The market value of such imports is to be
by working backward from
the selling price in the United States.
Under this plan certain percentage will |
be allowed for profit on the goods and to
this will be added freight, carriage, and |
other charges. Under the method now
n force, the so-called German agreement,
ihe market value of imports from that
country, of goods which have DO sale
here, is determined by taking an average |
II the export price of such goods sold to
III other countries.
~
Senator Aldrich, Chairman of the com.
nittee on Finance, intends to push the
consideration of the tariff bill in the
Senate committee with all possible dis
'atch and it is expected that, beginning
Eith Friday, the committee will be in
continuous session. In this way the de-
ay incidental to the usual method Of COM
nittee. consideration will be avoided.
rhe Senate leaders will engage their own
'xpeFts in tabulating Information and
areparing comparative tables SO that all
enators may have abundant data bearing
lpon every schedule.
The Central American situation, in all
Is phases, was discussed with Secretary
Knox by the State Department on Thurs
lay Of this week, the regular diplomatic
lay. From adyices received at the State
Department., military activities in Nicara;
ua still continue, and she is blamed with
'eing the cause and the sole cause of the
Unsettled conditions in Central Amer
"a.
~
Official announcement is made that the
90 foot tower, which the government n
proposes to construct for wireless tele-
raph purposes, viii be erected at either
annapolis or in the District OF Columbia.
will be capable Of sending messages
hTee thousand miles and OF receiving
hem from distance of thousand miles.
is expected that bids for the concrete
'ork will soon be ID the hands Of the
lazy Department officials, and it is hop
4 to have the tower started in about q
lonth. It will require three and four
lonths to erect it,
The Commissioner Of Pensions, Col. /