New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-10
DEMOCRATS FACE FIGHT
ON COTTON SCHEDULE
inspired Report Said to Pave
Way for Raising Rate by
Senate Committee.
HOUSE FIRM FOR LOW DUTY
Underwood Bill, Based on Err
roneous Data, Makes Meas
ure Unsatisfactory to Some
Senators, 1t Is Said,
From The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington. June 9.-The cotton
schedule Of the Underwood tariff bill is
loaded with trouble for the Democratic
tariff revisionists. and it became appar-
cnt to-day that conflict is brewing be-
tween the Senate and House leaders. The
obvious interest OF the Finance Commit
tee to make important changes in the
Underwood rates on cotton caused a
general tightening of House lines to-
day. following the publication Of an al
legged INSPIRED" story from the Senate.
This story was TO the effect that men,
hers Of the Finance Committee had
found glaring errors in the statistical
data relative to the cotton schedule pub
lished by the House committee. An I'M
named Senator was quoted as saying
that the cotton schedule is not salts
factory to some Senators. and that It
would he revised in accordance with the
corrected figures
Members OF the WAYS and Means Com
mittee are Of the opinion that this state
ment was made 10 pave the way for the
Senate's action in raising practically all
Of the rates in the cotton schedule. II
Is recognized in the House that certain
Southern Senators are bitterly opposed TO
the radical reductions on the cheaper
grades Of cotton cloth provided in the
Underwood bill.
The present temper Of the House re-
Visionists is to stand by the low rates on
coarser cotton goods, despite the opposi-
ton Of the Representatives Of North
and South Carolina, Georgia and other
cotton mill states.
According to what some House mem
hers privately term an INSPIRED story,
the tariff handbook published by the
WAYS and Means Committee was away
off in its figures on the domestic produc-
ton Of cotton goods II is claimed that
the error was discovered following the
publication Of the first batch Of hand
books and corrected in a subsequent edi-
ton.
But it is also claimed on the Senate side
that the House committee did not make
any change in the rates on cotton manu-
features after obtaining figures showing
a greater production than was at first
published The Senate view is that the
rates were based on the earlier erroneous
figures.
In reply, . was acknowledged by a
Democratic member OF the Ways and
Means Committee to-day that there were
errors in the first tariff handbook. 1t was
denied. however. that the errors Were
serious. The committee will stand by its
~ hat tnaFs MOT 70
not based on production statistics alone.
but on the report OF the Tariff Board, tes-
timony of manufacturers before the com
mlttee. data as to imports and home
manufacturing cost.
4 table prepared by the Senate Finance
Committee. showing comparative figures
based on the Underwood tariff bill and
the present tariff law. shows the average
ad valorem rate in the proposed law 10
he 32so per cent. as against 1871 per cent
under the Payne-Aldrich bill.
The estimated loss OF revenue through
the augmented free list in the Underwood
bill would be S@7ls,329 on an import
valuation OF SlO2 534, 465. Revenue under
the proposed bill. exclusive of the income
tax. Is estimated At 1856 70l. 100, as com
pared with &3oi2l6.6s4 under the present
rates. With the income tax revenue es-
timated at 100000, the total revenue
under the proposed bill would aggregate
about t347.co00Oo
The Underwood bill will be taken up
tomorrow by the full majority member
ship Of the committee 10 receive the
finishing touches before it is turned over
to the Democratic caucus. An effort will
be made to have the bill ready TO report
10 the Senate on June q The measure
probably will carry fewer amendments
than were expected.