The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-10-10
Ne w HRIF
LII w PISSED
Epitomzed Account Of the Underwood Simmons Measure
as Agreed to By Conferees
SENATE ENLARGES
HOUSE FREE LIST

amendment authorizing the Secretary
of the Treasury and the Secretary Of
Commerce to require importers to fur
'nish more detailed information on ship
fnents for statistical purposes.
Undervaluation Penalty.
The Senate receded from the amend
ment allowing margin Of per cent.
differentiation without penalty and linn
iting forfeiture of the particular goods
undervalhed. The bill imposes an addi-
tional duty of 1 per cent. on under
valued goods.
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 Cen
eral Appraisers to exercise both judi
cial and inquisitorial functions in GUS
toms examinations, and struck out of
the Senate amendment the provision ex-
Guiding 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 single article and
issue.
b The House provision, to authorize
collectors of customs summarily to fine
importers for failure to produce books
and records was. stricken out.
The House provision placing the bur-
den Of proof on the defendant in suits
for the recovery of the value of rner-
chandise fraudulently 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 authoriz-
ing him to exclude the merchandise
from entry.
The Senate amendment authorizing
the President to impose counteryailing
duties was stricken out.
Reciprocity Feature.
The President IS authorized to nego-
tiatc trade treaties with foreign coun-
tries subject to approval by Congress.
BY conference substitute Section
eight of the treaty with Cuba, dealing
with the preferential on sugar, is spe-
ci6cally abrogated. With this excep-
ton, the reciprocal trade treaty with
Cuba stands.
4 Free importation of articles from the
Philippines was limited by the confer
ence to such as contain not more than
90 per cent. of foreign material, the
Senate amendment limiting free entry to
such Philippine goods as are shipped UNI
der 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 manufac-
ttirers 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 a
bonded warehouse and withdrawn tor
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.
Farmers and fruit growers may man
ufacture alcohol free of tax for dena-
ttirizing.
The Steel Trust was the qombina-
ton hardest hit by the conterees.
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
in the country. The removal of duty
is expected to make it possible for
independents to enter the steel busi-
ness with some hope of overcoming
the trusts handicap.
Blow at the Beef Trust.
The Beef Trust Jared in the same
manner. AS a result of the placing
OF cattle on the free list, South
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 Wooden Trust was sheared
of the protection which has enabled
it to keep foreign-made goods out oil
the country, while the sheep raisers
ofN 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