Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-03

After being under consideration in
congress for nearly six months the
new tariff bill is a law. and for the
first time in nearly a quarter Of cen
fury the country has 4 tariff law orig
mated by the Democratic party. The
bill will doubtless he known as the
Underwood Simmons bill, taking the
title from Chairman Underwood OF the
ways and means committee OF the
house and Chairman simmons OF the
finance committee of the senate.
The sponsors for the bill say that 1t
will raise ample revenue. Chairman
Simmons has been advised that Il will
yield n surplus of at least S16.O0O.OOO
year above current expenses. II it
does not meet the expenses OF running
the government the expenses will be
reduced
One remarkable thing about the pres
ent tariff bill. a precedent. in fact. is
that the senate cut the average rate
Of duty carried by the bill below that
fixed by the house. Heretofore in the
making OF a tariff hill the house has
slaShed the rates. while the senate has
then taken Up the bill and readiusted
the rates on higher general average.
The house bill carried n general av-
erage rate slightly below 80 per cent
This the senate cut a little over 4 per
cent. The conference committee has
raised the general average duty but
slightly The average ad valorem duty
carried by the bill as perfected is
about % per cent The average under
the present law is about 35 per cent.
Many Changes Considered.
The conference committee had 70
deal with $40 paragraphs on which
there were disagreements. Some OF
these involved only the change OF n
word or a question Of punctuation. but
a majority OF them represented diff
ferences IN rates and few were fun
damental
The house conferees also accepted
the senate amendment fixing dates
when the wool duties shall 20 into ef.
feet. which was one OF the final stun.
bling blocks
Raw wool will go on the free list on
Dec /, and the reduced duties car
ried by the present bill will become et
fective on Jan. l. The house bill pro
posed 10 make the wool duties effective
Immediately on the bill being signed
by the president. The final action wa:
sn important concession 20 the manu-
facturers
no Tho hnncn alcf
on controverted paragraphs in th'
schedule relating To cotton cloths and
yarns BY this agreement slightly
higher duties are given 10 certain
coarser grades OF cotton cloths and
yarns by changing the classification
Fur hats and frames. forms and 9th
or parts for the manufacture OF sucl
hats received = rate Of - per cent
This matter affects the hat industry Il
Connecticut. The house fixed the rat
at ~ per cent. the senate made il IS
The silk schedule also was reopened
and the rate on silk partially manufac
tured from coooons or wastes, not fur
Their advanced in manufacture thai
carded or comhed silk. and silk noils
was reduced from 80 to 20 cents pc
pound.
The Metal Schedule.
Probably no single industry covere,
by the tarin bill suffered such reduc
tons in duties as did the iron and stee
industry. The house cut duties I'm
spaIingly. and then tive senate follow
Ell by making still further reduction
and increasing the free list.
The house. for example placed
duty OF 5 per cent on pig iron. spiegel
sen. scrap iron and scrap steel am
Ike products and made ferro ma games
duuable at II per cent The senat
free listed both u them snd the con