Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-06-12
Democratic Leaders Decide to
Put COuntervailing Duty on
Agricultural Products.
FREE WITH ASTRING TO THEM
Duty Compensatory to Any
That May BE Charged by
other Countries against
the United States.

Washington, June S.-Revising their
policy again, democratic leaders in the
Senate have decided to put n counter
vailins duty on imports of livestock and
grains, fresh meats, flour and other
grain products.
These agricultural products are to be
classed In the free list, in accordance
with the recent decision after A confer
ence with President Wilson, but they
will be free listed with a string to them.
a counterva!linR duty means that the
United states will charge on imports Of
cattle, sheep, hogs, wheat, -four and such
products, a duty compensatory to any
duty they may be charged by another
country against America or her exports
of the same commodities.
This decision has been reached i'm the
Senate finance subcommittee in charge
of the agricultural schedule after re-
peated conferences with other members
of the finance committee and democratic
senators particularly interested i'm agri-
cultural raw material and products. BY
the imposition of the countcrvailing
duty, the party leaders now believe they
will satisfy everybody, farmers. millers
and manufacturers, since all are to bv
treated alike and the farmer cannot
claim that his livestock and wheat are
to compete with that Of such countries
as Canada and Argentina on an unequal
basis.
Under the terms of such an arrange
ment as is now proposed, livestock and
grains will be admitted free from coun-
tries which impose no duties on their
-...., T.-.. Ait. ,,,,-t,,. SLa"1J Ca-
ada, Argentina or any country which now
has such agricultural products on the
dutiable list, determine to remove such
duties at any time, they automatically
would go to the unrestricted free list of
this nation.
Early in their deliberations the Senate
leaders decided that the rates on these
raw materials and their products must be
equalized but how to do 1t was the prob
lem.
The finance subcommittee last week de-
cided to put a small duty on all of these
agricultural products. taking meats and
lour from the Underwood free list. Pub
LEGATION of this aroused "A protest and
President Wilson himself was opposed to
the plan. The next day the sub-commit-
tee voted that the products should come
In free to aid IN the general effort to re-
duce the cost of living.
Since that decision the democratic lead
ers found themselves in hot water again.
From certain agricultural countries farm
ers fear an invasion If such products are
undutia BILE. As a result the decision was
reached to resort to the counterVa!ling
policy, which will be recommended to the
finance committee late this week. Even
then there may be breakers ahead for
this muCh-buffeted about schedule.
Regarding print paper, which the Tn
derwood bill places on the free list, but
which certain Senate leaders think should
be given a measure of protection as a re-
taliation for Canadian restriction on
wood and pulp, a new idea has been sug-
gested. Instead of putting a fiat counter
vailing duty on print pa per, as has been
proposed and urged by the manufacture
ers, the subcommittee has suggested a
provision that. unless restrictions on eX-
ports of wood and pulp are removed with
In a certain specified time then a duty
equal to any export charges imposed by
any country should be assessed No de-
cision has been reached yet on this point.