The Washington herald., 1913-04-09

TELLS OF BIG REDUCTIONS
American Markets Thrown Open to
Manufacturers of World for I'm
portation of Necessities.

How does the new Democratic tariff
bill propose to lower the cost OF living?
Exactly how much will it reduce the
price of clothing, food, fuel and other
necessaries of life?
Representative Francis Burton Harri-
son of New York, member of the ways
and Means Committee, who assisted In
the framing of the measure, answered
these questions today in the following
statement:
BY FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON.
Representative from Sixteenth New YORK
District.
The present tariff bill is the most earn
est attempt to lower the cost OF ilVins'
to break up the power of tarin-pro-
tected monopoIies and to tighten the
burdens of taxation since before the
war The American producers or 1000
clothing and other neceSsarles OF ne
will no longer be able to monopolIze the
home market. They. must compete OH
fair terms here with the producers OF
other lands The consumers Will peneht
through getting better article at
less price This is the first attempt since
the foundation of our government TO
shift the burden of taxation off the great
masses of consumers. where the tariii
nlaces il, on to the backs of the wealthy,
who are best able to pay the expenses Oh
orr government. Every dollar which VIII
he collected through the income TAX
means a dollar less of tariff burden on
the plain people.
The income tax will be assessed against
the incomes of the wealthy to MAKE
m the deficit in revenues that VIII ioi-
low the reduction of import duties Oh
the necessities of life. And every dol
nlnar saving
10 the consumer on food. clothing. fuei'
and other necessaries. Under the new
tariff. this amount can be estimated AZ
from s125 0o0. 900 to S150,00o,o0O. The fol-
lowing brief resume of drastic reduc-
lions in the present tariff law, Illus
trates the far-reaching effect the ne"
bill will have: -.
Food-All duty has been taken OF
meats. fresh and prepared. ms nleah1
that meat from Argentina can be I'M
norted to compete with the product OF
American packers. Under the PAYNE
tariff, the duty on bacon and hams was
20 per cent: on fresh beef, IL per cent
on veal. Is per cent; On PORK, . pei
cent; on lamb, Is per cent. All nsh are
on the free list, spelling a prooaoie
average of 20 per cent reduction III itS
cost to consumers This covers the enor'
nous catch in the Northern Atlantic
waters. a majority Of which is market
ed in the East.
BrcadstuHs on Free List.
Biscuits. waters and bread have beer
nut on the free list. This opens 'he
markets of the world to every consumer
il the country and provides iorrnl III,
able rival to the biscuit trust. th'
PAYNE law, by a joker, which RENTED
III, ms UnPtpned
prevented foreign importations becaus'
practically all biscuits and waters ha''
| some sugar in their composition.
| Fruits-Al citrus fruits, lemons
oranges, and grapefruit, are reduced
! from IL to y cent per pound. opening
the markets of the Mediterranean u
this country. The Payne tariff effec
tually prevented competition and Limited
the citrus fruit supply to California ah'
Florida. All fresh fruits are cut IRON
% cents to 10 cents a bushel, permittin'
imnortations from Canada and TIL
| tropics. q.
Milk. fresh. preserved.or condensed, Il
nut on the free list. Under the Payn
tariff the duty on fresh milk was 70 pc
cent. and on condensed milk, 70 per cent
Potatoes go on the free list. Under Tn
| Pavne tariff the duty was y per cent
The new schedule will prevent a potat
famine, or the manipulation OF price
| by combines.
Pantry live. is cut from cents to
| cent per pound; dead, from to cents
Cheese is cut in various grades from .
and ~ per cent to 20 per cent. This WI
| ma rticuIarly affect the cheaper grace
| used In quantities by the average con
sumner. Rice a great quantity or whlcl
is imported, is cut from to 1 cent pc
pound. On articles of general produce
used in great quantities by all cosum
ers, the duty has been cut in some IN
stances over 100 per cent. The following
list of necessary 1oods represent TIC @U'
that were made:
| Butter. from to 3 cents per pound
beans from A. to - cents a bushe
canned beans, from 2la to cent pound
| prepared vegetables of all kinds, 1rol
40 to % per cent; pickles, from 40 10
per cent; eggs, from . to cents dozei
| onions, from 40 to 20 cents bushe
peas. from - to 10 cents a bushel: spl
peas from d to % per cent per bushcl-
Clothing Much Reduced.
Clothing Schedule X: The whot
| schedule is the most heavily cut item {
the whole tariff and means better cloti
ing and better wooden furnishings q
| greatly reduced cost. In some case
wooden garments have suffered cuts {
$50 per cent. The duty on wooden clotf
ing in the new tariff will enable til
consumer to purchase for IS suit fc
which he now pays $40. The reductio
on higher priced clothes will be in ecu;
ratio. Wooden socks, underwear. swea
ers. muff1ers, and gloves will be importe
into this country and sold at prices muc
cheaper than now prevail
| Cotton cloth of all kinds, includln
mems and womens Undertaking, a
enormous item. has been cut 100 per cen
Cotton underclothes have been cut fro
&C. to y per cent; cotton handkerchief
from 60 to 30 per cent; cotton tablewar
| from 40 to Is per cent, and ready-maC
cotton clothing from 30 to 80 per cent.
Leather and leather goods, with I'll
exception of dress gloves, are put o
the free list. This will force America
| manufacturers of shoes to compete wit
foreign makers. The cut in duty c
mems dress gloves will reduce their prit
an average of so cents per pair. Worl
ingmens gloves are put on the free lis
This for the first time will permit til
| importation of these articles and Wi
greatly reduce their cost to the col
sumner.
Fuel-Bituminou and anthracite CO;
| are now duty free and will permit lars
importations of English, Welsh, ar
Canadian Goals.
Miscellaneous reductions-Paints ha'
been cut enormously. The consumer wi
| no ,hla 70 purcha 90 axcellently made TO