Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-17
TARIFF CONFEREES
AGREE ON MOVIES
Picture Films One of the Tariff
Items No Longer in
Dispute.


The democratic conferees on the tariff
bill today agreed that Photographic and
moving picture films sensitized but I'M
exposed should remain on the free list as
provided in the Senate bill. In connec-
ton with this the conferees also passed on
the paragraph in the sundries schedule
dealing with Photographic cameras. dry
plates and moving picture films which
have been exposed. The cameras and
dry plates remain at Is per cent ad va
loren, but the conferees made some re-
duction In the specific rates placed on mo-
ton picture films which have been ex-
posed. The Senate provision authorizing
the Secretary of the Treasury to exert
censorship over the exposed and devel-
open moving picture films was also agreed
to.
Free List Half Complete.
The conferees spent most of the
morning on the free list and completed
about one-half OF that part Of the bill.
Many of the Important items in the
free list, such as wooden blankets,
Portland cement and glazier diamonds,
had already been acted upon, and blan-
kets go back to the dutiable list, and &C.
ment and glazier diamonds remain on
the free list. Those items having to
do with the metal schedule, including
ferromanganeSe and cast-iron pipes
and pig iron, all of which were placed
on the free list by the Senate. were
to burlap also was passed over
While good progress is being made
by the conferees, it Is considered doubt
full this afternoon that the committee
will be ready to report before the mid
die of next week.
Complete Sundries Schedule.
pleted the sundries schedule, with the
exception Of a few paragraphs which
were passed over because of contests.
The paragraphs passed over include those
dealing with human hair, hats and bon
nets. furs. paintings in oil or water col
ors, and Photographic cameras. dry
plates and films. The real contest In
the last paragraph is over the films.
which the Senate placed on the free list,
on the ground that they are trust con-
trolled. The House conferees, however.
claim that films for use in cameras and
motion pictures are really luxuries. that
putting them on the free list will not
reduce the cost to the consumers. and
that the revenue from the films is needed
by the government.
The Senate amendments to the iaces
paragraph were agreed to; the House
provisions relating to channels skins ETC..
were agreed to. In the latter case the
Senate had placed duty of 10 per cent
on the skins and the House had a duty of
ed the duties on gloves for men and
women somewhat, and the conferees
yesterday reached an agreement on these
paragraphs. with slight changes from the
Senate amendments. The rates were
somewhat reduced as a compromise be-
tween the two houses.
The Senate placed harness and saddles
on the free list. and the house had
duty OF 20 per cent ad valorem on them.
The conferees agreed to the Senate pro-
ing to manufactures of amber, catgut.
including strings for musical instru-
ments. were not agreed to by the con-
ferees. The Senate amendments on lead
rates somewhat over those of the House
bill.
Cotton Futures Discussed.
Modification Of the Senate's cotton fu-
lures amendment to the tariff bill to make
the provision acceptable to the House
will be considered by the tariff conference
committee within day or two. Informal
discussion of the subject has developed
the fact that the House probably would
accept the plan of taxing trades in cotton
futures If the terms of the Clarke amend
ment adopted by the Senate were modl-
fed.
A substitute for the Clarke amendment
been submitted to the conferees by
Lever of South Carolina
would provide the tax of lilo OF one cent
per pound. or 80 cents per bale. shall not
be assessed where the cotton contracts
call for the regular government grades.
and such grades are actually delivered;
or where the difference in price is paid ii
another grade is delivered. This and other
changes will be considered in the belief
that the cotton futures amendment finally
will be retained as a regulatory provi-
sion as we'll as revenue-raising feature.
Representative Lever said that his sub
stitute for the Clarke cotton futures
amendment had the approval of many
southern senators with whom he had
talked.
The proposal is in the nature of a COM
promise and was drawn by Mr.. Lever
after conferences with experts Of the
Department of Agriculture and Postmas-
ter General Burleson. 1t is intended to
regulate cotton exchange contracts rather
than abolish the exchanges.
Terms Of Substitute.
Under the substitute IL actual delivery
of cotton sold on exchange were not
made a settlement would be required on
the basis Of actual commercial differ
ences as established in the spot cotton
market for six days previously between
the grade rendered and the basic grade
named on the contract, which Is usually
middling cotton. A nominal tax Of 8
cents per bale would be imposed for non
delivery.
Representatives of the cotton exchanges
have presented objections to such a COM
promise and have asked that a small tax
be levied-approximately the same as that
imposed as a revenue raiser during the
Spanish war-and a government commits
sion be created to study the taxation of
cotton futures as an economic measure.
The cotton men who object to the COM
promise declare that the taxing of cotton.
for which the government has created
standard types, will cover only certain
grades Of white cotton, and will exclude
not only certain lower grades of white
cotton but also so-called tinged and
stained cotton, which normally consti-
tutes about 20 per cent OF the crop and
which they claim In years or storm Is
much greater proportion.
The effect of the compromise, they say.
would be TO lift a tax described by them
as obstructive" and ''prohibitive" from
only a portion Of the crop.