Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-17
Senate Finance Committee
Would Not Bar Importation
of Feathers.
AMENDMENT MADE
TO new TARIFF BILL
Sundry Schedule Also Considered
Hitchcock Urges His Corporation
Tax Plan,

The majority members of the finance
committee today amended the Underwood
bill in relation to the paragraph dealing
with the feathers of wild birds so as to
permit the importation of feathers OF
those game birds killed as food and Of
those birds which are killed as pests
This is. in effect. the amendment offered
in the Senate by Senator Clapp.
The representatives of the Audubon
societies of America argued strongly
against the adoption of the Clapp
amendment and in favor OF the I'm
derwood bill, which provides that the
feathers of wild birds shall not be inn
hand. the importers Of feathers and
representatives of the millinery trade
appeared before the subcommittee of
the finance committee having this mat
ter In charge and urged that the Clapp
amendment be adopted.
They declared that to prohibit the
importation OF the feathers of birds
killed as food. or as pests, would re-
suit In an economic waste.
Sundry Schedule Up.
The majority members Of the finance
committee had under consideration the
sundry schedule today. and this sched-
ule, 1T is expected, will be continued
when the majority members meet
again at : o'clock this evening No
meeting was held this afternoon be-
cause of the fact that the Senate was
In session. Senator Simmons however,
announced that hereafter he would
press for three meetings of his com
mittee: each day. whether the Senate
was In session or not.
wheat and flour, as announced yes
countervailing duty, though the COM
mittee has not yet determined finally
whether countervailing duty is to be
placed also on cattle and meats. which
are to be free. too.
Millions From Bananas.
Senator Simmons said today that the
committee expected to raise not less than
$2,OOO.OOO revenue from the tax which it
is proposed to place upon bananas. He
said that the imposition of this duty was
Ior revenue only. and without any idea
OF developing a banana industry in the
United States
A graduated income tax upon cor
porations having capital stock of
more than 100000 and controlling
more than one-fourth of the produc-
ton of their respective lines was pro-
posed to the finance committee by
Senator Hitchcock from the floor of
the Senate. He stated that because the
committee had rejected his proposal to
lay a special tax upon the tobacco
trust he offered the new amendment
as a substitute.
Promises to Fight.
II propose to take these amendments
| to the democratic caucus. if the finance
committee rejects them. and to carry
them to the floor of the Senate itself, if
necessary" declared the Nebraska sena-
tor. as he faced Chairman Simmons Of
the finance committee.
Senator Hitchcock explained that his
new proposal to tax the trusts pro
vided that on corporations controlling
would be 10 per cent of their net annual
profits, and on those controlling 30 per
cent tax Of % per cent.
Enlarges Free List.
The committee further enlarged the free
list by voting to take flax. hemp and
ramie from the dutiable list. The Under
wood bill rates on fax were from 1 to
IL cents per pound. and on hemp and
ramie from y to 1 cent per pound, ac-
cording to grade. 1t was argued that
these products should class with other
products of the farm, and that by free
listing them the cost of living might be
beneficially affected F;ates on finished
products from these materials were ma
terially reduced.
Another important addition to the free
list was made by the Senate committee
last night when hair of the Angora goat
and mohair were sheared of the 40 per
cent ad valorem duty proposed in the In
derwood bill
Subject Of Contest.
There has been a long drawn out con-
test over this item, many democrats de-
nouncing the policy of leaving a high pro-
tective duty on goats hair, while put
ting Sleeps wool on the free list
Under the Payne law Angora hair
was dutiable at T. cents a pound. the
equivalent of ;S.J2 per cent ad valorem.
The committee completed the wool and
silk schedules without any other ma
terial changes. There were a few minor
alterations in the rates on manufactures
of wool and the duties on certain silk
yarns were changed from ad valorem to
specific on the recommendations of Gus
toms experts.
Despite many protests against the cuts
in the citrus fruit rates, made in the
House bill. the Senate committee left
the schedule as it was No change was
made in the liquor schedule, but it was
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