The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-10-03
At Conference Today cere-
monies for Making Law
Effective were Planned. (
WILSON INVITES
PARTY LEADERS
Newspaper Men Also viii Witness Act
That Brings Important Legislation
of Many Years to the Statute BooIks
-Takes Effect Tomorrow.
Final ACTION.

FINAL ACTION.
Washington, Oct. S.-The house
agreed to the tariff bill conference
report. constituting the final ac.
ton of that body. The speaker
Overruled all points 0f order. The
vice president signed the bill at
1884 O'Clock and the speaker
signed 1t ut 1:25 o'clock.
Washington, Oct. 3.-President
Wilson, after q conference today
with administration leaders.
planned TO sign the tariff bill at
O'Clock tonight. Arrangements
for the ceremonies were made
when 1t seemed assured that the
time today. J
Invited to witness the signing
were Underwood. Simmons, Vice
President Marshall, President Pro
Iempore Clark, Majority Leader
Kern, Speaker Clark, members of
the cabinet and newspaper men.
Treasury officials today began
the task Of rctlraftinR regulations
for the enforcement of the new
law. The law goes into effect to.
morrow. but the collectors Of GUS
toms will continue to assess du.
ties under the old law, withhold.
ing final liquidation OF each entry
until receipt of copies of the new
law.
President Wilson's signing of the
UnderwoodeSimmon bill tonight will
bring into effect one of the most far
reaching revisions of tariff rates and
revenue laws enacted for many years.
T.. new income tax. applying direct
abolition of all tariff on scores of
items Of immense Importance to
American industry and American
consumers and heavy reduction Of
tariff rates on most Of the articles in
general use in this country are its
chief features.
While certain portions of the new
law do not take effect at once, most
of It's provisions and almost all the
direct tariff reductions, do.
At every port collectors OF. GUS
toms, appraisers of merchandise and
hundreds of sother employees of the
sssI treasury ,s.. aepsrtmsnt w'it paunse at
nations revenue on a new basis, and
with hundreds Of new ,classifications
and new provisions of law to compli-
cate their activities.
The federal government has been
spending nearly a billion dollars q
year and the new tariff law will
raise less than one-third of that sum.
Recent estimates by tariff experts in
congress- predict that the rates will
raise $49,OO0,000 a year: and that
the income tax will raise $122,OOO,-
900. The remainder of the govern
ent's great income is made up prin-
cipally of internal revenue taxes and
postal receipts.
Bring Lower Living Cost.
The income tax probably will bring
the new tariff law most forcibly to
the attention of citizens. President
Wilson and democratic leaders in con-
gress believe, however. that the re-
duction of duties on clothing, food
stuffs and other necessaries of life,
and the complete removal of the duty
from many like articles. will even
tually bring q reduction in the "cost
Of living" without materially affect
ing business prosperity.
A brief summary Of the new tariff
law as prepared for the senate fol-
lows:
General Reduction Ten Per Cent.
Average percentage Of tariff rates
as compared to the value of all i'm
ported merchandise: old law 81 per
cent; new law "a per cent.
Value of annual imports added to
the free list, $147,000,000.
Estimated revenues from all i'm
port rates: old law :so5.ooo.ooo; new
Estimated revenue from corpora
tion and income taxes: old law $37,-
100000; new law $122,000,O0O.
Altogether. consumers in the Unit
ed States probably will receive from
abroad free of all tariff. more than
$1.O00,000.000 worth of merchandise
during the next year.
During 1912 the amount of free
imports" was more than $3.50, ,000, 900,
and when the tariff is entirely re-
moved from wool. sugar, iron ore and
cheap iron, and other important
items. the total is expected to in
crease notably, Under the old law
brought ito to II the 'e United St States ter sGona from
all parts of the world paid no tariff,
and that proportion will be Increased
by the new law.
The free wool provision Of the new
law takes effect Dec. 1. 1913: the free
sugar provision May I, 1916.
Nine Months Work.
The new tariff law, passed four
years after President Taft signed the
existing Payne-Aldrich law. is the
result Of more than nine months Of
started January 6. by the house ways
and means committee. Chairman
Underwood introduced the tariff bill
April z. Immediately after President
wilson had convened the new con-
gress. 1t passed the house May 8
and the senate September 3.
In the opinion Of its makers the
democratic leaders of congress. the
most important features Of the new
tariff are:
Reduction One.Half on Foodstufls.
"A reduction of nearly one-half in
the average tariff on foodstuffs and
farm products.
The placing of raw wool on the
free list. and a reduction of nearly
two-thirds in the tariff on woolen
clothing. especially Of the cheaper
grades.
A reduction of one-third (average)
on cotton clothing.
Reduction Of the sugar tariff and
its ultimate abolishment in 1916;
A reduction of one-third (hver-
age) In the tariff on carthenware and
glassware.
Adjustment of all tariff on meats,
fish. dairy products. -four. potatoes.
coal. iron ore. lumber and many
classes Of farm and ofiice machinery.
General tariff reduction on all i'm
portant articles in general use.