New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-23
elk Associations Secretary De-
cIares the Proposed Duties
May Cause Trouble.
No CHANGE IN INCOME TAX
eonate Sub Committee Thinks
House Provisions Meet All
Objections and Should
Stand as They Are.
from The Tribune Bureau

washington. May 22-The possibility
-, the Democratic tariff bill may pro-
"A, another cause of friction between
-. Tinted States and Japan was called
90 the attention of the Finance Commit
-. to-day by a letter from Ramsay
p.,rnet. secretary Of the SILK Association
Of America.
There is a probability" MIR. Peugnet
,,-o,e "of a very delicate situation oc-
.r--,nv in case the present specific duties
:, schedule l. are substituted by az
...,oren rates. The Japanese government
.,arantees the qualities of silk goods for
sore,en shipment. which appears TO be
IDENTICAL with guaranteeing values. There
h.s already arisen a question as to
ubsther the guaranteed values are cor
,sct BY placing wrong labels on the
Qualities they could come in as seconds
a, half their value.
oThe United States government may
-s;se the valuation given by an importer.
M, II would be almost impossible to
r.lse the valuation fixed by a friendly
nation.
practically no piece Of silk goods ever
made was entirely perfect All goods
have some imperfections: whether a
niece is considered first quality or dam
.gsd is a question OF degree; yet goods
which are stamped as damaged sell for
from o 10 30 per cent less than perfect
goods.
IF. therefore. the japanese govern
msnt should stamp whole invoices OF
goods as seconds they would pay
much lower rate of duty than If they were
perfect goods provided the duty were
assessed on an ad valorem basis. II
would be a difficult diplomatic question
for our custom house 10 gainsay the
classification as 10 quality guaranteed by
the japanese government. the matter be-
inr O question Of opinion in each indi-
,idual piece, which would make IT prac-
tcally impossible TO contest"
The majority members Of the Finance
Committee practically decided to-day not
10 send the manufacturers the list OF
oaestions proposed by Senator La Fol
lette. The Democratic leaders are now
turning their attention to expediting the
OH. and anything which may delay 1t
will be frowned on.
No amendment TO the income tax sec
ton Of the tariff bill is likely TO be pro-
posed by the Senate Finance Committee
or the Democratic caucus. according to
the leaders who have consideration OF
that part OF the bill in hand-Senators
Williams. Shively and Gore.
Though the committee room is piled
high with protests and suggestions from
many sources, the measure is believed to
have been well handled in the House. and
the objections made to 1t in its original
form are thought to have been sufficient
" met in amendments before the bill
passed the House.
Discussion Of the tariff on raw ivory
proposed in the Underwood bill before
the Johnson subcommittee disclosed an
unusual situation. Representatives OF
cotton exporters. in protesting against the
proposed % per cent duty on tusks, de-
clared Il would break up their barter
trade in cotton with African tusk dealers.
For years they have been shipping thou
sands OF dollars worth OF cotton TO the
African traders and bringing back in pay
nent ivory tusks. which they in turn sell
70 plano manufacturers. 1t was claimed
that with a duty on ivory. Italian cot
ton traders would get this business