The Irish standard., 1913-04-12
LIVING COST IS HIT
NEW DEMOCRATIC TARIFF BILL
PLACES RAW WOOL ON FREE
LIST.
REVENUE is CUT $4,000, oot

Sugar Duty is Heavily Reduced--AI.
Incomes from $4,000 Up Taxed
Underwood Says Revenue Will Aid
Legitimate Competition.
Washington, d. c., April S.-Carry'
ing sweeping reductions in every
schedule Of the tariff law except to-
bacco and spirits, schedules OF the
Democratic tariff revision bill was in
troduced in the house by Chairman
Underwood of the house ways and
means committee. 1t was automatic
ally referred to the committee. oy
which it. will be reported to the house
within several days Several articles
Of food and clothing classeu as neces'
saries OF life cra placed on the free
list or greatly reduced in duties. Ac'
companying the bill is en- income taS
on all incomes Of S4,00r u year Of
over.
The bill will take eject the day
after the president signs II. The
main fentii:ea Of the Eli are:
Sugar wouid be free ef duty IN 1916,
the bill proposing an immediate 20
per cenr. reduction and the renewal
Of the remaining duty in 1916.
Raw x0al would he made free at
once, vita corresponding heavy re-
duction - the tariff un all WOODEN
goods
Placed on the Free List.
Other articles are put en- the free
list AZ follows: Meats, -four, bread.
boots and shoes, lumber. COAL har'
ness. seddlery. iron ore, milk and
cream. potatoes, salt. swine, corn
cornr,eai cotton tagging, agricultural
implements, leather, wood pulp. bibles
printing paper not worth more than
az centz pound, typewriters. sew
ing machines, typesetting machines
cash registers. steel rails, fence wire
cotton ties. nails. hoop and band iron,
flsh. sulphur, soda, tanning materials
acetic and sulphuric acids. is'rax. lum
Der products, including broom handles,
claphoarde, hubs for wheels. posts
laths, pickets, slaves, shingles.
These principal Items are taken
from the free liat and taxed: Rough
and uncut diamonds and precious
stones, furs. coal tar products. 10 pei
cent: volatile vfls, 20 yer cent;
spices. FROM 1 cent to cents per
pound. g.
Chatrnsn's Comparative Table.
Chairman Underwood Of the ways
and means committee. in his Etatt
ment accompanying the new bill. gave
q comparative table t. show rd'!uc'
lions in tariff duties made upon nece.'
saries. In each item both tho present
tariff and the proposed tariff had been
reduced to an ad valorem basis
| The new rates are estimated IT, re-
duce the customs revenue approx.
mately $50. 600 900 year. This is ex'
pected to I've made UP by tho income
tax.
1ndorsed by President Wilson. the
measure represents the efforts Of the
president and house tariff makers to
carry into effect nemocratic pledges
Of downward revision and Ut conces-
sions to the American consumer.
Protection to the farmer would he
cut throughout by more than So per
cent in AT; effort to reduce the cost OF
food. Protection to the steel and i'm.
plement manufacturer would III turn
be out by fully as wide margin.
Heaviest reductions fall upon food.
stuffs, agricultural products. woolen
and cotton clothing.
| Free Wool and Free Sugar.
The free wool proposal backed by
] President Wilson and accepted By the
house committee. 10 expected to pr>.,
woke a eevere fight within the Demo
cratic ranks CT 10th houses. It had
not become clear whether the Demo.
cratic opponents Of free fool and free
sugar IN the senate would be able to
force a compromise on one nr both
these provisions,
The decision to make a gradual re.
duction In the sugar tariff was reached
by the president and the house com
mittee after Louisiana cane growers
declined a compromise that would
have established one-cent per pound
tariff for three years. with free sugar
In 1916.
| Direct Tax on Incomes.
| The income tax which will transfer
indirect taxes levied through the tar.
al into direct tax upon the incomes
Of individual citizens and corporations
exen1pts all sums below $4,000 In.
comes in excess Of that amount will
pay i pc. cent. tax up to SIT 0C0, 2
per cent. from $4,000 to $4,000; !
per cent. from $4,000 to s10c,0 600, and
per cent. above that figure. The
present corporation tax. levying per
cent, on corporation incomes above
5000, would be retained as part Of
the income tax.
To encourage trade with foreign
countries. the bill would reverse the
maximum and minimum provision OF
the present tariff law. The new tar
III rates would be the maximum tariff
and the president world be given au
thor:ty to negotiate reciprocity trea