Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-29
May Be Accepted in Toto by the
Democrats.
NO CHANCE FOR HOUSE BILL
Specific Changes in Duties on Com
modities Usually Handled in
Tonnage Quantities Noted.

Proposing many reductions in the met.
ais tariff rates even greater than those
proposed by the democratic House met
ais bill and providing for a general reduc-
tion in the tariff rates on metals and
metals products from the rates now in
force under the Payne-Aldrich tariff law,
Senator Cummins' substitute for the DEM
ocratic metals bill was introduced in the
Senate this afternoon.
1t is upon this bill as a basis that the
democrats and insurgent republicans OF
the Senate expect to unite to pass in the
upper house Of Congress a bill lowering
the Payne-Aldrich tariff rates on metals
The democrats. headed by Senators SIM
mons and Stone. are examining the rates
proposed by Mr.. Cummins and may ac-
cept his bill in toto.
They are practically convinced that the
democratic bill. passed by the House,
will not be accepted by a majority of the
Senate, and the Cummins substitute, sup
ported by the insurgent republicans, with
their balance of power in the, Senate, Of
fers a way for the democrats to vote for
reduced tariff rates and thus make q rec
ord for the coming presidential race.
Protection to Industries.
Senator Cummins says for his bill that
it will afford ample protection to Ameri-
can industries and is written with that
object in view.
Compared with the House bill, it would
substitute specific for ad valorem duties
as far as.possible. and in some instances
make greater reductions. 1t would
leave iron ore free, make pig iron 81
make greater reductions on tinplate.
structural iron and steel, and steel rails.
pig lead and bullion, and on the cheaper
forms of plate iron and steel, as COM
pared with the House.
The Cummins amendment rewriteS
fifty-four of the eighty-two paragraphs
in the metal schedule, making specific
changes in the duties on commodities
usually handled in tonnage quantities,
these changes being based on census.
corporation bureau and immigration
commission investigations. They in
clude a horizontal reduction in twenty
eight of these paragraphs. covering
cutlery, watches and the other more
highly organized and manufactured
forms of steel.
Some of the Changes.
As against the democratic House reduc-
tions. the amendment would make pig
iron pay 81 ton, instead of s per cent; /;
scrap iron, so cents a ton. instead Of per
cent; billets and the like, s. q ton, in
stead of 10 per cent; steel rails, $3.50 a
ton, instead Of 10 per cent: structural iron
and steel, s. and S. ton. according to
condition of manufacture, instead Of 10
per cent throughout: bar iron and the
like, 80 a ton, instead of 10 per cent,
which is slightly higher than the House
bill; plate iron and steel, 81 a ton on the
cheaper forms and Is per cent ad valorem
on the higher forms, instead of 20 per
cent throughout: iron and steel sheets,
SO or $12 ton, according to thickness,
instead of III per cent, which is lower
pared for timing, $2.25 ton more than
common black sheets, instead of Is per
cent throughout, and tinplate, SIC ton,
instead of 20 per cent.
With regard to lead and zinc there has
been no change in the duty on lead or
zinc contents of ore. but the duty on pig
lead and bullion and the like has been
reduced from pa cents a pound to 1N
cents q pound, and upon zinc in blocks or
pigs from 1A cents a pound to N cents.
Taken OF Free List.
In the House bill certain articles such
as barbed wire, cotton ties, sewing ma
chimes. cash registers and machine tools
are put upon the free list; in the amend
ment they are made to bear the same pro-
portionate duties that other articles of
like cost are made to bear.
On the twenty eight paragraphs COM
prfsing the more highly organized forms
Of manufacture the reduction is % per
centum.