The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-10-01
LOWEST TARIFF
IN MANY YEARS.
Chairman Underwood Dis
cnsses Pending Bill.
AVERAGE IS 70 PER CENT

Says Measure Enacts Lowest Duty or.
Imports Of Any Statute in Three
Quarters OF century-Minorit>
Loader Payne Predicts Business
Slump.
Washington, Oct. 1.-The house met
with the expectation that it would
agree to the conference report on the
tariff bill before final adjournment.
A limit of four and one-half hours
was agreed to by the house for the
debate on the conference report al
soon as it was called up by Represen-
tative Underwood, but the latter found
1t impossible to arrange limit for
the. subsequent debate on the Clarke
cotton futures tax amendment.
THE rates of the tariff bill, as It
comes back to the house for approval,
proposes q lower taxation than any
tariff bill in the last three-quarters
Of century," said Representative
Underwood in his opening speech.
The bill as it is now before the
house is lower in its rates than either
the bill that passed the house or the
bill that passed the senate, for the
house conferees accepted all but three
or four Of the reductions made by
the senate, while the senate receded
from over onehalf of it's increases.
This tariff bill, with it's 26 per cent
average, is almost as low as the ia.
nous Walker tariff, which had low
duties on liquor and tobacco. Besides
it's great reduction on articles of gen.
eral use this bill places many of the
necessities of life on the free list, or
gives them very low rates Of tariff"
Payne Law Over Forty Per Cont.
He said the existing Payne law has
an average Of over 40 per cent, and
the Wilson bill passed by the last
Democratic administration had an av.
erage OF over 80 per cent.
The revenues under the new law,
Mr.. Underwood said, would yield
surplus Of $1S,O0O,00O over estimated
government expenditures in 1915.
After three years of battle today
the Democratic party is prepared to
keep its pledges to the American peo.
ple," continued Mr.. Underwood. mo
man can deny that the representative
Of the American people constituting
the Democratic party In congress
have kept every pledge made four
years ago and two years ago in refer.
ence to the reduction OF tariff taxa.
ton"
Representative Underwood was fol
lowed by Representative Payne, Re.
publican author OF the existing tariff
law, and leader Of the Republican con,
ferees on the Underwood Simmons
bill.
Mr.. Payne declared the Democrats
had overestimated the revenues that
would be secured under the new bill.
You have prepared your guesses on
the basis that the present prosperity
will continue" said Mr.. Payne, 'but
you are all trembling now for fear it
won't"
Mr.. Payne declared American com.
merce had developed greatly under
the Republican tariff and would SUI.
fer disastrous setback under the new
Democratic law.
FLOOD CONDITIONS WORSE
Property Loss In Louisiana Placed at
$4,000, 900.
New Orleans, Oct. Flood condi.
tions in Southwest Louisiana IRE
hourly becoming worse. The loss OF
crops and property is now estimated
at SO 600, 600, besides all railway traf.
fic suspended
Historic English Home Burned.
Dover, Eng, Oct. Another OF 4
England's famous old historic homes,
Waldershire Park mansion, residence
Of the Earl of Guilford, was destroyed
by fire. The Earl of Guilford who was
inthe reside nce, succeeded In saving ]
many Of the valuable oil paintings
and some of the finest furniture. Nc