Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1911-04-27
Will HELP some
Desserats First Reform Measure For
nally Presented.
THAT FREE LIST BILL

Designed to Help the Farmers Re-
ported to the House by the Chair
man of the Ways and Means Com
mittee.
The majority report Of the ways
and means committee on the FARM
ers' free list BILL" submitted to the
house Wednesday by o. w. Under
wood. chairman, is a merger OF DEM
ocratic political argument and an
analysis of the proposed duty exemp-
tions.
The report shows that the bill
would reduce the tariff revenue by
s10,016,4s5, based on the import
ance for the last fiscal year. an
amount described as "inconsiderable
in comparison with the great saving
and advantages to all of our people
from the additions to the free list
provided for"
Quoting President Taft's recent
Canadian reciprocity speeches. the re-
port seeks to convey the impression
that the administration is convinced
that protective tariff rates are too
high.
"In several public addresses 1t
says, "he (the presidenD has ad-
mitted that tariff rates are too high,
that such rates have resulted in ex-
cessively high rates felt especially in
the increased cost OF living which
now bears heavily on our people, and
that they have not received the long
promised benefits Of domestic COM
petition under high protective du-
Ties"
Referring to the presidents state
ment that the RepuDncan party had
modified its tariff policies so as TO
limit 1t for purposes Of protection to
the difference in cost Of production
here and abroad with reasonable
profit to the American producer. the
committee report says:
"This is a confession, as was the
Republican platform Of 1908, that
the theory of high protective Duties
as put forth by the Republican part,
has broken down, that combinations
and trusts which prey upon the peo-
= ple have been fostered by the tariff,
and that under tariff protection
American manufacturers have forced
unreasonable profits from the peo-
ple." Again the report declares:
"The Canadian reciprocity agree
ment now before the house is a re-
cognition on the part Of the admin
istration of the injurious objects OF
the extreme protective policy which
has so long been imposed upon tne
country, and Is an effort to mitigate
Its effects"
The reciprocity agreement, asserts
the committee, can not afford the
American people all the needed re-
lief from high protection.
"Action on the agreement involves
the necessity of further and lmme'
diate action on revision number oi
duties on imports from other coun'
tries in order that justice may be
done to the great army Of agricultur'
al producers who in the Canadian
agreement are to have the alleged
protection removed from their pro-
ducts without corresponding or re-
ciprocal removal Of the protective
duties most burdensome on the com
modities they must purchase as nee
essary TO sustain their lives and In
dustries."
The report takes up in detail the
classified list of articles included In
the free list bill. Regarding agri'
cultural implements, 1t says theil
manufacture Is controlled by tsusts
and combinations that have solo In
foreign countries at lower prices than
at home. building up their foreign
trade from s3,S59,1S4 in 1890 te
$2S,124,033 in 1910.
Bagging and baling materials, es'
sential dn the transportation OF agri'
cultural products, the report says
can not receive benefits OF protection
In home markets and duties on them
"have annoyed and burdened the
farmers to add to the profits or e1-
acting trusts and combinations. y
Concerning hoops, bands and ties OF
iron and steel, barbed wire for fenc-
ing, ETC., the report says the high
duties make the people dependent up
on the giant steel industry y which
for years has sold products abroad
lower than to domestic consumers
and declares that placing them on the
free list will be a long delayed
measure of equity and justice"
The placing on the free list OF all
forms of leather from cattle, hides
and skins, together with boots, shoes,
harness, saddlery. ETC., the committee
argues, will be of advantage on man
ufacturing and necessarily Of benefit
to agricultural producers as we'll as
to all the people.
The "beef trust" is assailed in dis
cussion of the free listing OF fresh
meats and meat products. "The ex
listing duties on meats and meat
products" it is asserted, ARE for th'
advantage of this combination only
"a combination that controls th'
markets both in buying and selling
and the result is substantial addi
ton to the high cost Of living from
which the people suffer"
Removal of duties on these prod
ucts, it is assured. will place the far
mers in a free market as to food
stuffs and food products. For tn
reason that the public desire "that NJ
artificial shelter be maintained t
protect abnormally high prices o.
food articles in any form"
The bill also seeks EXEMPTION from