Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-10-09
PRESS PLACES MUCH CREDIT FOR
PASSAGE OF LAW ON CHIEF
EXECUTIVES SHOULDERS.
MEANS SWEEPING REVlS|ONS
President Wilson Tells of Personal In.
terest in Bill and Praises Efforts
Of Colleagues.

Inc new tariff bill was signed by,
President Wilson Friday and is now q
national law, 1t Incorporates the most
sweeping and far reaching revision Of
traffic rates and revenue laws enacted
for many years.
A new income tax, applying direct.
ly to the incomes of citizens; the abo.
litiOn Of all tariff on scores of items
of immense Importance to Americas
industry and American consumers and
heavy reduction of tariff rates On
most of the articles in general use In
this country are it's chief features.
Summary Of New Law.
A brief summary Of the new tariff
law as prepared for the senate fol.
lows:
Average percentage of tariff rates
as compared to the value of all i'm.
ported merchandise; old law, 81 per
cent; new law, % per cent.
Value of annual imports added to
the free list, $l47, 100000.
Estimated revenue from all import
rates; old law, $35O,OOO, 900; new law,
$249, 100000.
Estimated revenue from corporation
and income taxes; old law, $37, 900, 900;
new law; $l22, 900, 900.
Altogether, consumers in the United
States probably will receive from
abroad free of all tariff, more than
81 900, 100000 worth of merchandise
during the next year.
During the year 1912 the amount Of
free imports was more than $3.50, O,OOO,.
900, and when the tariff is entirely re.
moved from wool, sugar, iron ore and
cheap iron, and other important items,
the total is expected to increase notab.
ly Under the old law more than SO
per cent on all goods brought to the
United States from all parts of the
world paid no tariff and that propor-
tion will be increased by the new law.
The free wool provision of the new
law takes effect December l, 1913; the
free sugar provision, May ], 1916.
After Nine Months Work.
| The new tariff law, passed four years
after President Taft signed the ex-
isting Payne Alrich law, is the result
of more than nine months of work in
congress. Hearings were started .Ianu-
airy 6 by the house ways and means
committee. Chairman Underwood intro
duced the tariff bill April Z, Immediate
ly after President Wilson had convened
the new congress. 1t passed the house
May and the senate September 9.
In the opinion of its makers, the
democratic leaders in congress the
most important features of the new
tariff law are:
A reduction of nearly one-half in
the average tariff on foodstuffs and
farm products.
list, and reduction of nearly 3-5 in
the tariff on woolen clothing, especial.
ly of the cheaper grades.
A reduction of one-third (average)
on COTTON clOtn.
Reduction of the sugar tariff and its
ultimate abolishment in 1916.
A reduction of one-third (average)
in the tariff on earthenware and glass
ware.
Adjustment of all tariff ON meats.
fish, dairy products, flour, potatoes,
coal, iron ore, lumber and many classes
of farm and office machinery.
General tariff reduction on all i'm
portant articles in general use.
What the President Said.
President Wilson in discussing the
bill said in part: Gentlemen, I feel
peculiarly pleased, in what have just
done in taking part in the completion
of a great piece of business. 1t is a
pleasure which is very hard to express
in words that are adequate to express
the feeling; because the feeling that I
have is that we have done the rank and
file of the people of this country q
great service. It is hard to speak Of
Continued ON Page 5.)