Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-10
UP TO SENATE.
The Tariff Revision War Will Now BE
Fought All Over Again.

Washington. APRIL 9.-When the Sen
ate committee on finance concluded its
session tonight it was with the under
standing that all avenues to the COM
mittce room had been closed and that
the few sessions to be held prior to the
reporting of amendments to the Payne
bill would not be hampered with sug-
eestions from. the outside. The commit
tee is now prepared to insert rates on
certain important matters.
Among the schedules that are at
tracing particular attention now are
metals and manufactures Of metals,
lumber, hides, bitumous coal and SUI
gar.
Rates on steel ana iron have not been
inserted as yet. although it is pracu-
cally settled that iron ore will be taxed
20 cents ton and a proportionatc rate
will he assessed against scrap iron and
steel refuse fit only to be manufacture
cd. The iron interests are concerned
chiefly in getting an increase over the
proposed rates in the Payne hill on
rails and structural iron. The Payne
bill cuts the existing rate on steel rails
from S. I to 500. just one-half. Steel
men contend that the Payne rates are
too severe {, reduction and have asked
that a rate of $5SS be fixed on rails. 1t
is generally believed that the commit
tee Will name rate OF about 81 per
ton. ON structural steel it is likely that
the Dngley rates of onc-half II cent ii
pound Will be maintained, instead of
adopting a. rate of $40 of cent n
pound. as fixed by the Payne bill A
number of reductions have been made
on other articles under the metal
schedule in order to make the schedule
symmetrical These changes, it is said.
have been approved by steel manufac-
tCrerS.
The reciprocity clause of the bitumi-
Gus coal schedule, which it is said
would result in the elimination of all
duties on coal i'll the trade between
Canada and the United States, is like
~ to go out of the bill Iclkns and
Dick We're before the committee today
in rhi, connection, taking opposite
sides
Under both the Dinglcy law and the
Payne bill bituminous coal pays a duty
OF 81 cents IL ton. The Senate commit
tee is considering a reduction of the
duty to about 80 cents in view of the
elimination of the reciprocity clause
The Payne bill places culm or slack
coal On par with bituminous coal.
Those who favor striking out the reci-
procity clause, want an adj vaIorem
placed on slack coal. which would equal
d specific duty of 80 or 40 cents a ton.
Elklns submitted some data indicat-
ing that the present rate of Is cents
on slack is too low. He read letters
from American agents in Canada and
Australia, asserting that mines in those
countries artificially crush bituminous
coal in order to make it admissible to
the United States at the Is instead of
the 62-cent rate.
1t is reported that the Senate commit
tee Will reduce the existing Dingley
rates OF lumber one-half A canvass of
the Senate indicates that an effort in
the direction of getting free lumber, if
made after the bill reaches the SEN
ate. would be unavailing. The canvass
of the Senate on the question of hides
was concluded today and it is asserted
that as result hides will be taken
from the free list and duty fixed at