The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-09-12
THE NEW TARIFF

In writing the new tariff bill an ear
nest effort has been made to reduce
the taxes on the necessities of life and
allow the rates of duty to rest on lux
uries.
Perfumery is taxed 70 per cent. I'M
der the present law, and "a per cent.
under the Wilson Underwood bill.
/ Chinaware has been reduced from
81 per cent. to 55 per cent.
Automobiles are still taxed at 45
per cent.
Oriental rugs and carpets pay IS
per cent. at the custom house today
and it is proposed to reduce them to
so per cent.
Trimmed bonnets and hats are re-
duced from so per cent. to 40 per
cent and laces and embroideries con-
tinue to pay a 60 per cent. rate of
duty.
| On the other hand, the necessities
of life are greatly reduced. Common
chinaware, which now pays so per
cent, is now reduced to 35 per cent.
Furniture is reduced from 35 per
cent. to Is per cent.
Bread and biscuits, which hereto
fore paid 20 per cent, are placed on
the free list, as are also all kinds of
fresh meats
Cotton clothing is reduced from so
per cent. to 80 per cent, and under
wear from so per cent. to % per
cent.
Wooden blankets are reduced from
70 per cent. to 25 per cent.
Flannels are reduced from SO per
cent. to So per cent.
Wooden clothing from 70 per cent.
to 35 per cent, and women's and chill
dren's dress goods from SO per cent.
to 35 per cent.
The price of sugar is maintained by
the tax levied at the custom house,
which amounts to nearly 2 cents per
pound. The immediate reduction
made by the bill is nearly one-half a
cent a pound, and at the end of three
years ugar will be placed on the free
list, which will ultimately reduce the
price of sugar to the consumer over a
cent and a half a pound.
Every woman, no matter what her
station in life, wants to own her own
home. The taxes on building mate
rails have been very greatly reduced
Lumber has been placed on the free
list; the taxes on glass and paints
have been cut about one-half, and the
taxes on all commodities that go into
the homes of the poor have received
a like reduction.
The reductions made as indicated
have resulted in a loss to the govern
ment from the taxes raised at the
custom house, of something over $780,
100000, but this loss is to be supplied
by nincome tax to be collected from
those who have incomes of over $4,000
a year.
"Will the high cost of living be re-
duced by the enactment into law of
this tariff bill?" OF course, it is diff
ficult to give definite answer, since
the profits of the middleman are, as a.
rule, a large part of the cost of an
article that you buy from the shelves
of a retail store. High rents and 9TH
er overhead charges" count very
definitely in the cost of every article
purchased, but | have no doubt that
after the bill has been on the statute
books few months there will be a
general reduction in many of the COM
modities regarded as the necessities
Of life. believe, too, that the coun-
| try will readily adjust itself to the
changes produced by the new bill;
that there will be no serious danger
to our great interests, and that in the
end it will bring a real and lasting
relief to the American people who
are compelled to toll for a livelihood.
Oscar w. Underwood, in the Delin-
Gator.
MORE ABOUT THE DRESS CUES