The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-06
Twenty-One Nations Al
ready Have Protest
ed Against Bill.
F r A NCE CLAIMS
TREATY IS BROKEN
All Complaints Are Aimed at Ad-
rninistrative Features of Bill,
and Have Been Sent Under
Seal to House Leader.
House Opposition Not
Yet Overcome.
Special to The Times-Dispatch.l

Especial to The Times -Dispatch.l
Washington. May 5.-Threats OF a
worldwide commercial war are car
ried in the positive protests filed with
the Secretary OF State from twenty
one nations against the enactment OF
the Underwood tarin bill France
goes so far as to claim that the exist
ing treaty Is violated by the clause
which seeks to force foreign manufac.
turers to open their books to Ameri-
can officials where under valuation is
charged asainss an American importer.
An European nation makes gen
eral protest against the duties levied
In the bill. All the complaints are
aimed at the general administrative
features of the bill. The protests have
been sent under seal to Leader Under
wood and the Ways and Means Com
mittee. and will go ultimately to the
Foreign Relations Committee of the
Senate.
Storm Clouds at Home.
Tariff storm clouds Of more threat
the home shores. In his talk with
newspaper representatives to-day,
President Wilson repeated that he was
tmmovable on the question of free wool
and free sugar. But while this posi-
tive utterance was being made at the
White House. members of the Senate
were issuing a warning that the bill
would leave the body with n Is per
cent duty on wool.
Senator'S Ransdell and Thornton. OF
Louisiana. and Walsh, of Montana. are
committed to this line of action. That
would leave the Senate u tic. with
the Nice-President casting the decid-
ing vote. A fourth malcontent who,
1T Is declared, is already in line, will
make free wool an inlpossibility.
Still another breaker is in the SEN
ate position on wheat 1t is contende ed
that IL -four is free, wheat should be,
and 1t is probable that action will be
taken to this end. The same argu-
ment- prevails regarding cattle. which
also Will go on the free list.
Continued protests and arguments
upon the part of big insurance com
panies appear 10 have had their effect
upon the hitherto unalterable and i'm
movable mind OF the President. 1t
was declared to-day that the income
tax provision would be amended so as
to conform more to the general liking
of the insurance companies, which
contended that the / per cent was too
heavy a burden for the corporations
and the policyholder both to carry.
VIII Amend RilI.
Senator Hoke Smith said to-day
the Democratic members of the Iinanc
Committee would amend the bill so
that none OF the money belonging to
the policyholders, either in the old
line or the mutual companies should
be taxed Senator Smith also said
there would be number of amend
ments for the purpose of making the
measure more specific.
In the House there is growing feel
ing that the free list Will cause seri-
Gus trouble, and IT is nrodicted hv
many that one vital change will force
revision of the general schedules
which. in the end. will amount to the
defeat of the wilson Underwood bill
as originally drawn.
Representative Hull. who framed
the income tag law, said to-day:
II know the insurance companies
have stirred up their policyholders
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