The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-06
Ways and Means Committee
Begin Hearings-Many
Will Attend
PECULIAR PLACE
OF REPUBLICANS
Only Two members of Present Ways
and Means Committee Will Con-
tinue Over New Congress.
Schedule "A" Today


Washington, January 5.-The first
revision of the tariff promised by the
democratic party will be entered upon
tomorrow when the House of Represen-
tatives, through its committee on ways
and means, will formally open the doors
to the American public for the dis
cussion of tariff rates, protection to
and concessions to the "ul-
innate consumer"
The work will be preparatory TO the
first change of tariff duties since 1909.
when the Payne Aldrieh law was en-
acted by republican Congress and ap-
proved by republican President.
Fortified by the election of a demo-
cratic President and Congress, the
adoption of tariff reduction plank az
the Baltimore convention and the pro-
nouncement of President Wilson
that tariff revision is to be the first
big achievement of the new admins
tration, democratic leaders will open
tomorrow hearings confident that they
will lead to an early change in many,
il not all. of the schedules of the ex-
listing tariff law.
Method of Revision Not Settled
The method of the approaching re-
vision, and the extent of the changes
to be made in the present duties, are
points not yet fully settled by the
q ic in
President Wilson 1t is known
that reduced duties ON chemical, metas,
cotton and wooden goods will follow
closely the standard fixed by the bills
which have passed the democratic
House during the last two years, none
of which has become law The facts
to be brought out at the public hear
to follow between President Wilson
and the House and Senate leaders may.
however, result in important modifi
cations of the big reductions the House
has put into some of the bills of the
last two years.
Republicans will occupy a peculiar
place in the early stages of the tar
iff revision. of the men who sit on
the ways and means committee now,
Dut lWO 1S---fNtD1tSenIat1Ne
Payne of New York and Representative
Fordney of Mchigan--will continue
over into the new Congress. Represen-
tatives Dalzell of Pennsylvania. Hill
of Connecticut, Longsworth of Ohio.
Mccall of Massachusetts and Needham
of California, all prominently identified
with republican tariff work in the past,
will not be members of the new Con-
gress, although they will take part in
the hearings preliminary to the new
revision.
Informal Conferences Begin
Urged by Democratic Leader Under
wood, Speaker Clark and other dem
ocrats, President elect Wilson is ex-
pected to set the date for the conven-
ing of the extra session about March
Is. Informal conferences between Mr..
Underwood and democratic leaders of
the Senate already have begun, and
will continue during the progress of
the tariff hearings, and the prepara- :
ton of the tariff bills. Through these
conferences and consultations with
Governor Wilson. it is expected that the
details of many of the bills will be
perfected early In March, so that tariff
revision will start at once when the
new Congress assemblies.
While the democratic tariff is to be
the government, 1t fully Is understood
that the probable result upon impor-
tant American industries will be taken
into consideration in reducing any OF
the present protective tariff rates Ap-
proximately one-third of The govern
ment's. income, about $3.50, 100000, IS
received from the tariff. but In many
of the schedules, the democratic plans
for reduction In rates would result in
ftat ,,f 4, H.
increase OF imports that would fol-
low.
Drugs, chemicals, paints and other
that come within the
chemical list. known as Schedule AZ
will form the subjects of the opening
hearings tomorrow and Tuesday The
chemical schedule raises over 81 2,000,-
600 in revenue, or about per cent Of
the total received from the tariff The
chemical bill as framed by the DEM
ocratic House last session would In
crease this amount about $4,000, 900,
according to Representative Under
woods estimates.
New schedules of the tariff law will
be taken up for hearings each Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday until January
81. when the session will close with a
hearing on the free list. the admins
trative features and miscellaneous
portions of the tariff law.
Many to Attend Hearings
A large number of persons interested
in the tariff on chemicals, paints and
oils will attend the opening hearing
tomorrow. Chairman Underwood Of
the committee has concluded, as a mat
ter of personal courtesy to the wit
nesses, to withhold their names in ad-
vance of their hearing. 1t is probable
that there will be night sessions on
some of the schedules, though the COM
Inittee.s disposition Is to avoid that
possible.
III each case the witness is expected
to file a brief giving his reasons for
his recommendations as to changes In
the law, his estimate of the increase
or decrease of imports likely to result
from the suggested modificatio the
or experience relied upon in
making the estimate, and suggestions
az to phraseology and the Improvement
Of the administrative features of the
law
Members of the committee are in
clined to favor revision schedule .,y
schedule. but the question probably
will not be determined until after the
hearings are concluded and caucus
Of the democrats Of the next House
shall have passed upon the procedure
An important factor in the PROPOSE
tions for the work of revision is the
belief of democratic leaders that be-
fore the extra session is called enough
states will have ratified the income tax