Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-10
SHAPING TARIFF CHANGES

oIo6c VI buc piO6i all AOi uO"H"oau
revision of the tariff, promised by thel
Democratic party, will be entered up
on tomorrow when the house of rep
fesentatiyes, through its committee
on ways and means, will formally OPP
eE the doors to the American public
for the discussion of tariff rates, pro-
lection of industries and concessions
to the ultimate consumer
The work will be preparatory to
the first change Of tariff duties since
1909 when the Payne-Aldrich law was
enacted by a Republican congress and
approved by a Republican President.
Fortified by the election of Dem
oeratic president and congress, the
adoption Of a tariff reduction plank
at the Baltimore convention and the
pron0uncement of President-elect VIII
son that tariff revision is to be the
J first big achievement of the new ad-
ministration, Democratic leaders will
open tomorrow's hearings confident
that they will lead to an early
change in many, if not all, of the
schedules Of the existing tariff law.
The method of the approaching re-
vision and the extent of the changes
to be made in the present duties, are
points not yet fully settled by the
Democratic leaders in congress and
President-elect Wilson.
1t is known that reduced duties on
chemicals, metal, cotton and wooden
goods will follow closely the standard
fixed by the bills which have passed
the Democratic house during the
last two years, none of which has be-
come law. The facts to be brought
out at the public hearings this month
and the conferences to follow be-
tween President Wilson and the
house and senate leaders may, how
ever, result in important modifica-
tons of the big reductions the house
has put into some of the bills of the
last two years.
Republicans will occupy a peculiar
place in the early stages Of the tar
if revision. OF the men who sit ON
the ways and means committee now
but two NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Payne On. W and Rordney (Mich)-.
will continue over into the new con-
gress. Representatives Dalzell (Pa.),
Hill Conn, Longworth (Ohio), Nc
Call Mass and Needham (Cal.) all
prominently identified with Republi-
can tariff work in the past, will not
be members of the new congress, al
though they will take part in the
hearings preliminary to the new re-
vision.
Uurged by Democratic Leader Un-
derwOod, Speaker Clark and other
Democrats, President-elect Wilson is
expected to set the date for the con-
vening of the extra session about
March Is.
While the Democratic tariff is to
be based on the revenue needed to
run the government, it is fully I'M
derstoOd that the probable result up
on important American industries will
be taken into consideration in reduc-
ing any of the present protective
tariff rates. Approximately one-third
of the governments income. about
$3.50 900 900, is received from the tar
Tiff; but in many of the schedules the
Democratic plans for reduction in
rates would result in an increased
revenue, because of the increase of
imports that would follow
Drugs chemicals, paints and other
merchandise that come within the
chemical list, known as schedule "a"
will form the subjects of the opening
hearings tomorrow and Tuesday. The
chemical schedule raises over s12, 0OO.-
600 in revenue, or about 4 per cent
Of the total received from the tariff.
The chemical bill as framed by the
Democratic house last session would
Increase this amount about $4,000, 900,
according to Representative Under
woods estimates.
New schedules of the tariff law
will be taken up for hearings each
Monday, Wednesday and Friday until
January 81 when the sessions will
close with a hearing on the free list,
the administrative feature, and miscel-
laneous portions of the tariff law.
Washington, Jan. 6.-Democratic re
vision of the tariff actually got IN
der way today when the house ways
and means committee began hearings
which will be the basis of the new
tariff bill Of the congress to repeal
the Payne-Aldrich law in accordance
with the party's pledges for an "im-