Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-23
CUMMINS ON TARIFF BILL
He Makes Statement Defining Posi-
ton Of Progressives.
WOULD GO FARTHER THAN TAFT
Thinks Duty on Many Manufactured
Articles should BE Reduced
Materially - steel an
Example.

WASHINGTON, July 2~2.-EmphasiZing
the Importance Of insisting upon reduc-
lions in the duties upon manufactures. as
well as raw material, Senator Cummins Of
Iowa late today made public a statement
which is accepted as representing the views
Of at least a majority Of the progressive"
republican senators relative to the present
situation with regard to the tariff bill.
The pronouncement is evidently intended
to meet the idea that the president and the
downward revlsionists would be content
with free raw material.
II endorse every word OF the statement
recently made by the president and earn
estly hope that he will be successful In
bringing the conferees to his views" said
Mr.. Cummlns who then called attention
to the fact that especial emphasis has been
placed upon so-called raw materials.
IT feel compelled" says Mr.. Cummins,
ITO remind the public that neither the ores
dents statement nor our fight was so con-
fined.
Reduce Rates on Manufacturer.
"while Il is of the utmost Importance
that iron ore, oil, hides and coal be dealt
with as proposed by the president, it is of
still greater Importance that the duties OF
manufactured products shall be brought
down somewhere near the protective point.
II will be Of little advantage to the body
Of the people to do away with unnecessary
duties upon raw materials II the manufac-
turers are permitted to enjoy the exces-
sive duties that enable them to take ex-
tortionate profits upon things that the
people must buy and use"
Instancing the most prominent features OF
the senate bill which he thinks should be
amended, Mr.. Cummins says that those
who have been contending for lower duties
can afford to surrender a part Of their just
demands II they can, in the main, obtain
the reductions which insure the people
against undue riches in the chief commod-
tiles of commerce"
He then outlined his objections to the
bill as 1t left the senate. He says the re-
auctions in the steel schedule generally are
not sufficient. but the schedule might be
accepted but for the increase on struc-
tural iron and steel.
Condemns Steel Increases.
Structural iron and steel, the use Of
which Is so rapidly increasing says Mr..
Cummins, is raised from the Dingley rate
of $40 per ton and the house rate of Sc
per ton to As per cent ad valorem, which,
at the present price of this commodity,
means a duty Of 81 per ton, an increase
over the present law of SO per ton, and over
the house provision of $40 per ton.
when it Is considered that the duty on
steel rails is $3.50 per ton and their mar
ket price is $2S per ton, the proposed duty
upon a form of steel which sells for $S5
per ton is wholly indefensible. Free iron
ore is a very desirable thing, but when
the welfare of the consumer is taken into
account it would be vastly better II a
R.I- 80. aA- h. gA,,-o m hat nna Of
these items, to allow the duty on iron
ore to. go at Is cents per ton, and cut the
duty on structural steel to s. or So per
ton, where It properly belongs, and where
it would still furnish complete protection
for home producers, measured by the re-
publican standard.
For House Lumbe Rate.
I'm the lumber schedule, If both rough
and dressed lumber are not free, as they
ought to be, the house rate of 81 on rough
lumber should be preserved, and the diff
f~erential upon dressed lumber should begin
at % cents per thousand, and not go be-
yond 60 cents per thousand.
I'm the paper schedule the house rate of
50 per ton on print paper, without the
possibility OF increasing it by a counter
vailing duty, and free wood pulp, also
protected against a eountervailing duty,
SnOulu De TlBluly insisted upon.
I'm the cotton schedule, the senate in
~creases, from beginning to end, should be
rejected. and while l believe that there
should be reductions in this schedule, the
people might be willing to stand for the
house rate. barring, of course, the hosiery
increase.
WOODEN Schedule Wrong.
The wooden schedule, with respect to
the compensatory duties to manufacturers
is manifestly wrong; and the artificial and
arbitrary plan Of estimating the relation
between unwashed and secured wool is
grossly absurd. The wool grower is sacrl,
ficed to give undue protection to the
worsted wool manufacturer. The whole
schedule is so indefensible that a readjust-
ment seems imperative, even though to
accomplish 1t the conference report be
voted down and the bill brought before
the senate again for amendment
our platform and our pledges embrace
every dutiable commodity, and we should
apply the same criterion from the first to
the last. 1t will be most unfortunate IL,
in trying to give relief to the rank and
file of our people, We succeed only in CIV
ing manufacturers free materials and thus
add to the over-protectIon which they now
enjoy and the further profits Of cheapened
production-profits which the manufac-
turers will probably be slow to share with
the consuming public"
While Mr.. Cummins expressly says that
he does not undertake to present the views
Of the other progressive" it is known.
however. that most OF them were afforded
an opportunity to read Mr.. Cummins' an
nouncement, and some OF them publicly
stated that it expressed their opinions.
Il - E