The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-20
FOREIGN NATIONS
PROTEST AGAINST
NEW TARIFF BILL
England, Germany, France,
Italy, Australia and
Others Protest
NEW PROVISION
CAUSING TROUBLE
Foreign Nations Dislike Idea of Sec
retary of Treasury's Authority to
Exclude Entry Goods When
Inspection Is Refused

DAY IN CONGRESS.

Senate: Met at noon.
Resumed consideration of Kern res
olution for West Virginia coal strike
investigation.
Mrs. Helen d. Longstreet former
postmistress from Gainesville, Ga,
heard before postoffce committee.
Senator Kenyon amendment TO tariff
bill to automatically free list products
of any concern adjudged monopoly.
Passed urgent deficiency bill ap-
propriatng 100000 for postoffice de-
partment
Passed House bill requiring PAN
ANA California Exposition company to
deposit money guarantees for awards
and prizes
Senator BtTton reintroduced his
seamen's involuntary servitude bill
Senator Clapp introduced bill to
prohibit senator's and representatives
from serving on or soliciting funds
for any political committee.
Chairman Simmons called a meet
ing of finance committee for Tues
day.
Referred Kern resolution for inves-
tigation of West Virginia coal strike
to committee on education and labor.
Adjourned at 500 p m. until noon
tomorrow
House, Chairman Underwood of
ways and means committee called
meeting OF llS democratic members
for Tuesday to take up assignment
of members to committees
Washington, May 19.-While democratic
senators are wrestling with home manu-
faeturers, protesting against numerous
rates in the Underwood bill, they are con-
fronted also by protests from foreign
countries against administrative features
of the bill, and the provision that would
grant a per cent reduction of the duty
on imports in American bottoms.
Protests from England, Germany,
France. Italy, Australia and other coun-
tries have been sent to the state depart
ment and communicated to the finance
committee, where they will first be con-
sidered by a subcommittee of which SEN
stor Williams is cAsirfnan
Attention of the committee has beer
called 10 a meeting of the National Asso-
citation of Industry and Commerce Of
France, a few days ago. at which the
Underwood bill was condemned, the adj
ministrative feature of which, it was
claimed, would arbitrarily increase the
hindrances to trading with this country.
Many Protests Made
From many countries have come pro-
tests against that new provision in the
bill which would give the Secretary cf
the Treasury authority to exclude from
entry goods of merchants or manufacture
ers who refuse to submit for inspection
by United States agents their accounts
pertaining to valuations or classification
of merchandise whenever disputes arise.
The attitude of the committee and the
administration is to adhere to this pro-
vision, the claim being that it will not be
abused, and will serve as bar to pro-
fessional defrauders Foreign govern
ments maintain that it will result in
unusual trouble.
One request of the foreign govemments
is for a return to a provision of tariff
laws before the Payne-Aldrieh bill, which,
in cases of disputed valuation, would give
the appraiser the right to increase 1t 5
or 10 per cent Such a provision was
originally included in the Payne-Aldrich
bill, but it was not there when the bill
passed the claim being made that it was
unintentionally omitted Consideration of
all these protests will be taken up by the
finance committee soon
Listen to Protests
Subcommittee today listened to pro-
tests from thread and wire manufacture
ers. Tomorrow the finance committee
will meet to determine, among other
things, how much more time sub-com-
mittees shall give to private hearings.
The matter of sending out Senator La
Follette's series of questions on tariff
to manufacturers also will be considered.
Luis M. Rivera, resident commissioner
from Porto Rico; Joseph De pigo, speaker
of the Porto Rican house; Martin Ira
yieso. president of the executive counsel
and a delegation of business men from
the island, today presented memorial TO
President Wilson declaring that the free
sugar provision in the tariff bill would
destroy their sugar industry The Pres
ident promised to study their argument.
Standard Oil Hearing Adjourned
tnr y.