The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-08

After being under consideration in
congress for nearly six months the
new tariff bill is a law, and for the
first time In nearly quarter of cen
tury the country has tariff law orig
mated by the Democratic part. The
bill will doubtless be known as the
Underwood-Slmmons bill, taking the
title from Chairman Underwood of the
ways and means committee OF the
house and Chairman Simmons Of the
finance committee OF the senate.
The sponsors for the bill say that 1t
will raise ample revenue. Chairman
Simmons has been advised that ID will
yield a surplus of at least S16,000,O00
year above current expenses. III 1t
does not meet the expenses OF running
the government the expenses will be
reduced.
One remarkable thing abouE the pres
ent tariff bill. precedent. I'm fact. is
that the senate cut the average rate
OF duty carried by the bill below that
fixed by the house. Heretofore In the
making OF a tariff bill the house has
slashed the rates. while the senate has
then taken up tile bill and readjusted
the rates on higher general average.
The house bill carried general av-
erage rate slightly below 80 per cent.
This the senate cut n little over 4 per
cent. The conference committee has
raised the general average duty but
slightly. The average al valorem duty
carried by the bill as perfected is
about % per cent. The average under
the present law IL about 35 per cent.
Many Changes Considered.
The conference committee had to
deal with GAG paragraphs Gil which
there were disairecmcnts. Some OF
these involved only the change Of a
word or question OF punctuation. but
n majority of them represented diff
ferences In rates and a few were fun
damental.
The house conferees also accepted
the senate amendment fixing dates
when the wool duties shall co into ef-
feet, which was one of the final stun
bling blocks.
Raw wool will 20 on the free list on
Dec 1. and the reduced duties car.
ried by the present bill will become ef-
fectlve on Jan. 1. The house bill pro-
posed TO make the wool duties effective
Immediately on the bill being signed
by the president. The final action was
an important concession to the manu-
facturers.
The senate won over the house also
on controvertcd paragraphs in the
schedule relating to cotton cloths and
yarns. BY this agreement slightly
higher duties are given to certain
coarscr grades o. cotton cloths and
yarns by changing the classification.
Fur hats and frames, forms and 9th
er parts for the manufacture of such
hats received n rate OF ~ Ter cent
This matter affects the hat industry In
Connecticut. The house fixed the rate
at 40 per cent, the senate made IL 10.
The silk schedule also was r,opencd.
and the rate on silk partially nlanufac-
tured from cocOOns or wastes. not fur
ther advanced I'm manufacture than
carded or combed silk. and silk noils.
was reduced frorc 30 to 20 cents per
pound.
The Metal Schedule.
Probably no single industry covered
by the tariff bill suffered such rcduc.
tions I'm duties as did the iron aud steel
industry. The house cut duties un.
sparingly. and thcu the senate follow
eel by making still further reductions
and isAreasiug the free list.
The house. for example. paced u
duty OF per cent ON pig iron. spiegcl-
sen, scrap iron and scrap steel and
like products aud made fcrro- magancse
dutiable at H. per cent. The senate
free listed both VI them, and the con.