Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-19
Report on Free List Bill Sub
mitted to the House,
CUTS REVENUE $10,016,4e5
Loss Described as Uncomfortable in
Comparison With Benefits.
s SPEECHES
QUOTED
Claimed That Justice to Agricultural
Producers Requires Further Ac-
tion Than Canadian Rsciproc-
ity Agreement.

! 1ty Agreement.
| The majority report Of the ways and
means committee on the so-called farm
ers' free list bill. submitted to the House
today by Chairman Underwood, Is g
merger of democratic political argumen,
! and an analysis of the proposed duty ex.
eiTptons.
| The report shows that the bill would
reduce the tariff revenue $1OO16, 485 based
"n the importations for the last fisca
! year. an amount described as "inconsid-
cradle In comparison with the great saw
F.; ing and advantages to all Of our people
from the additions to the free list PRO-
vided for
Presidents Speeches Quoted.
Quoting President Taft.s recent Cana.
dian reciprocity speeches. the report seeks
| i" convey the impression that the ad-
mlnistration is convinced that protective
! tariff rates are too high.
In several public addresses" It saws
ne dhe President) has admitted that tariff
rates are too high. that such rates have
resulted In excessively high prices, felt
| especially In the increased cost of lfvina
which now bears heavily on our people
and that they have not received the lone
promised benefits Of domestic competition
| under high protective duties''
Referring to the Presidents statement
that the republican party had modified it's
tar1n policy so as to limit 1t for purposes
or protection to the difference in cost OF
production here and abroad with a rea-
sopable profit to the American producer.
the committee report says:
{c
publican platform Of 1908, that the theory
OF high protective duties, as put forth by
the republican party, has broken down
tnat combinations and trusts which prey
upon tne people have been fostered by the
tarin, and that under high tariff protec-
tlon American manufacturers have forced
unreasonable profits from the people"
again the report declares: ''The Cana
dian reciprocity agreement now before
the House is a recognition on the part Of
the admipistration Of the Injurious ef-
fects Of nhe extreme protective policy
which hae SO long been imposed upou the
country. and Is an effort TO mitigate its
Reciprocity Agreement Inadequate.
The reciprocity agreement, the COM
mittee assert. cannot afford the Ameri-
can people all the needed relief from
high prices. Action on the agreement
mediate action in removing q number of
duties On imports from other countries In
order that justice may be done to the
great army of agricultural producers.
have all the alleged protection removed
| from their products without a CORES
ponding or reciprocal removal of the
protective duties most burdensome on the
commodities they must purchase as
| necessary to sustain their lives and in
dustries'
The report takes up in detail the classi-
ned list of articles included in the free
nst Dill. Regarding agricultural imple-
ments. 1t says their manufacture is con-
trolled by trusts and combinations that
| nave sold in foreign countries at lower
prices than at home, building up their
foreign trade from So. S59. 1874. in 1880, to
$2S 124.O33 in 1910
IN the transportation of agricultural
products, the report says, cannot receive
benefits of protection In home markets
ana duties on trem have annoyed and
| its OF exacting trusts and combinations. -
Concerning hoops. bands and ties of iron
| and steel. barbed wire for fencing. etc,
the report ssys the high duties make the
industry" which for years has sold prod
| ucts abroad lower than to domestic con-
| sumers. and declares that placing them
on the free list will be "a long delayed
uicoSuIc VI equity ana justice.
The placing on the free list of all forms
OF leather from cattle hides and skins, to-
! Zether with boots, Shoes harnesa sad
| dlery, etc, the committee argues, will
be OF ADVANTAGE in manufacturing and
ducers as well as to all the people.
Beef Trust Assailed.
| The beef trust Is assailed in discus
! sion Of the free listing Of fresh meats and
meat products. The existing duties on
meats and meat products" Ii is asserted.
are for the advantage Of this combina-
! ;.on only"-a combination that Controls
ng. and the result 10 a substantial addi-
tion to the high cost of living, from
Which the people suffer-"
Removal Of duties on these products, II
: free market as to foodstuffs and food
products. For the reason that the public
desire that no artificial shelter shall be
: maintained to protect abnormally high
bill also seeks exemption from duty or
/ wheat flour. semolina. rye -four buck
wheat -four. cornmeal and all prepared
cereal foods. biscuits. bread and simila,
In discussing free lumber placed in thu
bill. hardwood excepted the report
maintains that the ownership Of timber
In this country has become practically
1 uOuopOly dhu uAS pdSScO LOT Inc mos
part into the hands of great corporation
and interests which are speculating OF
the increasing scarcity.
President Taft is aSain referred to. tht
report quoting from his speech Of Febru
ary Is. 1911. in which he said: by Civ
ing our own people access to Canadian
forests we shall reduce the consumption
Of our own. which. in the hands Of ,
comparatively few owners, now have
value that requires the enlargement o
our available timber resources"
Sewing machines, the report AYERS. ar
sold abroad by American manufacturer
cheaper than at home and should not b
protected. The manufacturer would hav
by the proposed bill the additional ad
vantage Of free lumber.
| Salt, also included In the free list tn
report urges, should be free ffoIii arti
fcial enhancement In price. the domesti
supply being dependent upon a limite,
number of natural deposits. controlled b,
concentrated interests.
New Zealander for Arbitration.
NEW YORK, April 19.-Sir Josepl
Ward the prime minister OF New Zea