The citizen., 1913-10-10
NEW THRFF
LAW PASSED
Epitomized Account Of the Underwood Simmons Measure
as Agreed to By Conferees
SENHTE ENLHRGES
HOUSE FREE LIST

| amendment authorizing the Secretary
OF the Treasury and the Secretary OF
Commerce to require importers to fur
nish more detailed information OIL ship
ments for statistical purposes.
Undervaluation Penalty.
The Senate receded from the amend
ment allowing margin OF ) per cent
undervaluation without penalty and lin
iting forfeiture OF the particular goods
undervalued. The bill imposes an addi-
tional duty OF 1 per cent on under
valued goods.
Offsettting this, the conference
adopted the Senate amendment author
izing the Secretary OF the Treasury to
assess the duty on less than the en-
tered value when satisfied that the inn
porter has in good faith at the time
OF the entry certified the entered value
above the market value.
The conference restored the House
provision authorizing the Board of Gen
eral Appraisers to exercise both judi
cial and inquisitorial functions in Gus
toms examinations. and struck out OF
the Senate amendment the provision ex-
cluding hearsay evidence. Senate amend
ments were agreed to prohibiting con
tingent fees in customs cases and Strik-
ing out the provision of the House bill.
limiting protests to a single article and
issue.
The House provision, To authorize
collectors of customs summarily to tne
importers for failure to produce books
and records was stricken out.
The House provision placing the bur
den of proof on the defendant i'll suits
for the recovery of the value of mer
chandise frauduiently imported was re-
stored after having been stricken out
| by the Senate
House provision requiring shippers
and importers to produce their books
to authorized agents OF the government
adopted with an amendment authorizing
the Secretary OF the Treasury to impose
additional duties in case of refusal, in
stead of the House provision authorz-
ing him to exclude the merchandise
from entry.
The Senate amendment authorizing
the President to impose countervaillng
duties was stricken out.
Reciprocity Feature.
The President is authorized to nego
tiate trade treaties with foreign coun-
tries subject to approval by Congress.
By a conference substitute Section
eight OF the treaty with Cuba, dealing
with the preferential on sugar is spe-
cihcally abrogated. With this eXcep-
ton, the reciprocal trade treaty with
Cuba stands.
Free importation of articles from the
Philippines was limited by the confer
ence to such as contain not more than
20 per cent of foreign material, the
Senate amendment limiting free entry to
such Philippine goods as arc shipped un-
der a through bill OF lading being re-
jected.
The Senate through its conferees, re-
ceded from its amendment prohibiting
the importation of goods manufactured
principally by children under fourteen
years of age
Other conference changes were as
| follows:
Importations of models of women's
wearing apparel for use OF manufacc-
turer. in their own establishments is
permitted.
Foreign material for the construction
of repair of naval vessels OF the United
States may be imported free.
Cigars may be manufactured in
bonded warehouse and withdrawn for
/ consumption in the United States upon
payment of the duty on the tobacco used
/ in its imported condition and the inter-
nal revenue cigar tax.
7 Farmers and fruit growers may man
ufacture alcohol free of tax for dena-
/ turiZing.
The Steel Trust was the combina-
| ton hardest hit by the conierees.
I Iron ore was placed on the free list,
/ in the hope OF inviting Cuban and
| South American competition. The
! Steel Trust and its subsidiaries now
! hold virtually all the marketable ore
4 in the country The removal of duty
is expected to make it possible for
/ independents to enter the steel bust
ness with some hope of overcoming
| the trusts handicap.
Blow at the Beef Trust.
The Beef Trust Jared i'll the same
! manner AS result OF the placing
of cattle on the free list, South
i American nations are expected to de-
velop a cattle raising business for the
purpose OF helping to feed North
Americans. The entry Of South
/ American beef is expected to cut the
price of meats, notwithstanding the
prophecies OF the beef barons that
the price will continue to soar.
The Woolen Trust was sheared
of the protection which has enabled
it to keep foreign-madc goods out of
the country, while the sheep raisers
of the West will have to meet the
wool from Australia and other coun-
tries that will enter on free-trade
basis.
The system OF maintaining high
prices on eggs through the opera
ton of a nationwide cold storage