The Washington herald., 1913-09-13
PROGRESS MADE
ON TARIFF BILL
Agreement Reached by Con-
ference Committee on Many
Items Of Difference.
HOUSE YIELDS ON RATES
Satisfactory Status Indicates Many
Senate Changes Were Made After
Consulting Underwood.
HOUSE YIELDS ON RATES

Remarkable progress was made yester-
day with the tariff bill by the Demo-
cratic members OF the Conference Com
mittee.
Up TO this time the Republican men,
bers of the committee have not been in
vited in. The method of treating the tar
if bill during its legislative progress
will be repeated in conference.
The Democrats will reach a conclusion
on all controverted questions and then
the Republicans will be invited in TO
view the exhibit.
The satisfactory progress made yester-
day indicated that it is reasonably GER
tain that the Conference Committee will
be ready to report the bill back to the
two Houses about Monday, September
%. When the conference concluded last
night at the end of the second days ses-
sion it had disposed Of the chemical
schedule and the schedule embracing
learths, earthenware, and glassware
practically all of the items in the agri-
cultural schedule, woods. sugar, tobacco,
and agricultural products.
Schedule II Reached.
This brought the conference commit
| tee to the spirits, wines, and beverage
| schedule. designated in the bill alpha
betically as schedule H. The two i'm
portant amendments in this schedule,
those which involve the restoration of
the tax on wine spirits used in the
sweet wine industry Of California and
duty of 25 cents a gallon on a class
of wines produced in Northwestern
Ohio, were passed over for the time be-
| ing.
These have been the source of much
trouble to the Democratic Senators.
Both amendments originated in the
Senate. Something like $S,0O0,OO0 in
revenue is believed to be involved in
the amendment. Aside from these par
agraphs, the wine schedule was ap-
| proved.
Among the important matters dis
posed of was the sugar schedule, and
The House agreed to the Senate amend
, ment fixing the date when the sugar
duties will go into effect. Free sugar
was not in dispute, having been passed
| by both Houses. The House accepted
the Senate amendment as 1t was writ
ten. The Senate conferees receded
from the higher duties placed on mica
and reached a compromise with the
House. On nearly every important
| amendment settled yesterday the
house ylel0eQ 10 Ine senate.
The House accepted the lower duties
given by the Senate on agricultural
products, particularly as to live stock.
No agreement was reached on wheat.
bananas, or on the countervailing duty
on wheat all of these being Senate
amendments. These matters were put
aside for future consideration.
The first serious clash between the Sem
ate and the House that has yet occurred
was over the metal schedule. 1t be-
came necessary after discussing the mat
ter for several hours yesterday to post
pone action on the metal schedule, and
it may not be referred to until the rest
of the bill has been completed. While
the disagreement was over pig iron and
! ferro manganese, the entire metal sched-
ule was more or less involved in the con-
troversy, for a readjustmeut of the
tariff on these basic products will
necessitate the change of many duties
on products of pig iron and other pri-
mary products of iron.
Pig Iron Discussed.
The House placed a duty Of per cent
on pig iron and Is per cent on ferro
manganese. The Senate transferred both
to the free list. 1t is not unlikely that
/ in the final agreement a small revenue
duty will be placed on both, and that
| there will be a readjustment Of duties
On all steel products at rates somewhere
| between the higher range carried by the
House bill and the lower one in the
| Senate bill
There was only one important amend
ment in the wood schedule. This did not
involve a change Of rates, but recasting
of the language of the paragraph, which
! is III. On this the House yielded to the
I Senate.
Probably the most important results
attained by the conference committee
was the completion of the agricultural
| schedule. The Senate made many
changes in the schedule. Cattle were
! ira nsfered to the free list. The House
| Sheep also go on the free list, the House
having yielded to the Senate on the
| amendment which struck out the House
duty of 10 per cent
| The Senate also reduced the duty OF
! oats, and made an amendment fixing q
| rate of S3 cents per hundred on oatmeal
and rolled oats. and cents per hundred
on oat feed. These were agreed to.
The Senate made reductions in the
| tracts. and other articles that enter into
| the daily cost OF living. On nearly all
| of these amendments the House accepted
the lower rates fixed by the Senate.
So satisfactory was the progress made
yesterday by the conference committee
that It was decided not to hold a night
session. and there probably will be no
session Sunday.
The conference thus far has been chas-
acterized by the best of feeling. AS II
progresses it is evident that the changes
made in the bill by the Senate COMMITTEES
and ratified by the Senate caucus were
made after consultation with the House
leaders and with the President, and this
has served to simplify the work Of the
| conference.