The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-12-26
Sufeit of Bills Revising the
Wool Tariff
ARE TO BE PRESENTED
Admissions Made by Republicans-Say
That II Is Going to Be Very
Hard Work-Not All
Harmony.

Washington, Dec. 24-Republcan
members of the ways and means com
mittee of the House are saying that the
framing of their own wool bill is going
TO be one of the most difficult tariff
propositions ever handled by tariff ex.
perts, and whereas usually whole tariff
bill can be framed in Ave months, ex-
elusive of the time given to hearings,
the proposed wool bill will take, on its
own account, at least a MONTH and
maybe more, to draft, and that, too,
with the information they will want to
base their bill upon right before them
II is declared that never before has It
tariff bill been constructed with special
reference to the actual cost of produce
ton at home and abroads This has
heretofore been guessed at. II was con-
sequently more or less easy to fix a rate
Now, however the cost has been ascer.
tanned in quite a scientific manner
There is standard 10 60 by and
standard which il is believed in the
matter OF wool and woolens the people
accept and believe in, and which viii
have TO be followed il the wool and
wooden bill is to have the confidence OF
the people and their support.
The line of demarkation is declared
to be fairly well defined Above IL will
be excessive protection and below IL not
enough. And yet it is pointed out the
cost of production as ascertained varies
in all parts of the world, being different
for Canada, for New Zealand, for Aus
tralia, for England and so on, and addi-
tionally the cost Of production in the
United States is found to have a varying
quantity. To fix then tariff rates that
win provide protection for al am yet
not be far from the line of demarkation
is going to be a delicate problem. it is
declared. The considerations will have
TO be more or less minute aud more OF
detail introduced in the bill than ever
before. OF course, a good deal of these
troubles could be quickly done away
with by making all raw wool free, but
even those Republicans who desire this
admit they are helpless, that not being
the policy of the Republicans as ex-
pressed in party platforms. The idea
cannot pc entertained.
II Is also regarded az a pity that
there must be more than one tariff prob
lem at this session. IL is believed more
successful work could be done by finish.
ing each tariff problem before another
is permitted to intrude. Before the
wool bill is even finally drafted, the re-
port of the tariff board on the cotton
schedule will be sent to Congress and
then there are to follow, in all probable
ity, reports on chemicals and metals,
and all these have an interlacement
which becomes embarrassing in the sim
gle consideration of any bill, with these
hanging around waiting to be taken up.
1t would appear that there is not
harmony in the Republican
ranks on the tariff While there is the
greatest pleasure in the pacific attitude
of Representative Dalzell of Pennsyl-
vana. heretofore an arch high protee-
zionist, but who is now ready to lend
his aid in revising schedule X, it appears
that Representative Fordney of Michi
gan, who is of the ways and means com
mittee and thoroughly hidebound in his
ultra high tariff views, is so Disguised
with the prospects OF the Republicans
on a downward revision on
that he has absented himself
from Washington. He has not allowed |
his views to be known what he favors, |
and his fellow committeeman say, "We |
don't care"
Democratic members Of the ways and
means committee under direction of ReD-
Underwood, the chairman,
have already begun the preparation of |
a bill; the Republican members Of the
committee are likewise preparing bill |
and last night Senator Smoot OF Utah, /
4 member of the finance committee, an.
nounced his approval Of the tariff boards /
report on the wooden schedule and added |
that he, too, would prepare a bill,
II am pleased with the tariff boards |
report on schedule X, said the senator |
'and hope that the findings Of that /
board will be accepted by the American
people, coming as they do from q non.
partisan board"
Asserting that wool bill can be
prepared upon the facts submitted which |
will not interfere materially with the