The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-04-29
FREE LIST BILL TO
AID THE CONSUMER
So the Majority Report to Con-
gTGsS Asserts.

me majority report VI the Na9o eAe
means committee on the proposed free
list bill. submitted to the house by
Chairman Underwood, is merger or
Democratic political argument and an
analysis OF the proposed duty exemp-
tons.
The report shows that the bin would
reduce the tariff revenue $l00l6,49b.
based on the importatlons for the last
fiscal year. an amount described as
'inconsiderable as compared with the
great saving and advantages TO all
our people from the additions 70 the
free list provided for"
Quoting President Taft's recent Ca
madam reciprocity speeches, the re-
port seeks TO convey the impression
that the administration is convinced
that protective tariff rates are too
high.
The reciprocity agreement. the com.
mittee asserts, cannot afford the Amer
ican people all the needed relief from
high prices.
The report takes up in detail the
classified list OF articles included In
the free list bill. Regarding agricul-
tural implements Il says their manu-
facture Is controlled by trusts and
combinations that have sold in for
eign countries at lower prices than at
home. building up their foreign trade
from s3,S95,lS in 1900 TO S2S,l24.O3S
in 1910
Bagging and baling materials, essen.
tial in the transportation OF agricul-
tural products. the report says. can
not receive benefits OF protection In
home markets and duties on them
have annoyed and burdened the far.
mers 20 add 10 the profits OF exacting
trusts and combinations"
Concerning hoops, ties and bands OF
iron and steel barbed wire for fencing,
etc, the report SAYS that the high du.
ties make the people dependent upon
the giant steel industry which for
years has sold products abroad lower
than 70 the domestic consumers" and
declares that placing them on the free
list will be "a long delayed measure
OF equality and Justice"
The placing on the free list OF all
forms OF leather from cattle hides and
skins, together with boots. shoes, har-
ness, saddlery, etc. the committee ar
CUES, will be OF advantage In manufac-
turing and necessarily OF benefit TO ag-
ricultural producers as well as 10 all
the people.
The beef trust" is assailed in dis
cussion OF the free listing OF fresh
meats and meat products. THE ex-
letting duties on meats and meat prod
ucts," Il In asserted, ARE for the ad-
vantage OF this combination only"-a
combination that controls the mar.
kets both in buying and selling. and
the result is a substantial addition 10
the high cost OF living from which
the people suffer"
Removal Of duties on these products.
Il is argued will place the farmers In
free market as 20 food stuffs and
food products. For the reason that the
public desire that no artificial shell
ter shall be maintained 20 protect alb
normally high prices on food articles
in any form" the bill also seeks ex-
emption from dtuy on wheat, -four,
semolina. rye floor buckwheat flour
rornmeal and all prepared cereal
foods. biscuits. bread. and similar ar
ticles not sweetened.
In discussing free lumber placed in
the bill, hardwood exempted. the re.
port maintains that the ownership OF
timber In this country has become
practically a monopoly and has passed
for the most part into the hands OF
great corporations and interests which
are specializing on the increasing
scarcity
this sketch into a play OF the same a.
tie and toured the country with Il for
number of years, Retaining the cen.
trial character. Josh Whitcomb. lie re-
modelled this play into The Old Home.
stead" which was produced the first
time in New York, Jan. 10. 1857, and
attained success Immediately. Mir
Thompson acted almost exclusively in
THE old Homestead" for the rest OF
his stage career.