The Mena weekly star., 1913-10-09
PRESIDENT WILSON
 SIGNS TARIFF BILL
Final Step in Making Into Law or Measure That Is Expected to Lower Cost of Living in
 the United States.

Washington, Oct. 4.-Surrounded f. bv inc leaders of a united Democ- raev President Wilson signed the 1rndervood-S Simmons tariff bill at oOo o'clock last night at the White Honse. Simultaneously telegrams were sent to customs collectors throughout the country by the treasury department, putting into actual operation the first Democrat ic tariff revision since 1894.
 A happy group of legislators, members of the cabinet and friends encircled the president as he smil- inelv sat down and slowly affixed his signature with two gold pens.
 He presented to Representative Underwood the pen that had writ fen the word Woodrow" and the one which had completed his name fo Senator Simmons, both of whom bowed their appreciation.
 In impressive silence the presi- dent rose and delivered in easy, nat ural tones, an eXtemporaneouS speech that brought prolonged ap- plause. The president declared that the journey of legislative ac- complishment had only been partly completed; that great service had been done for the rank and file of the country, but that the second step in the emancipation of busi- ness was currency reform. He ear- nestly called upon his colleagues to go the rest of the journey" with fresh impulse.
 Epoch in American History.
 Washington, Oct. 3.-President Wilson's signing of the Underwood Simmons bill brings into effect one of the most far-reaching revisions of tariff rates and revenue laws enacted for many years.
 A new income tax, applying di- rectly to the incomes of citizens; the 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 ar ticles in general use in this coun- try, 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 other employees of the treasury department will plunge at once into the task of col lecting the nations revenue on a new basis, and with hundreds of new classiilcations and new provi- slons of law to eomplicate their ac- tivities.
 Recent estimates by tariff experts In Congress predict that the rates will raise S2i90O0,O00 a year, and that the income tax will raise Si22,- 100000. The remainder of the gov ernments great income is made up principally of internal revenue taxes and postal receipts.
 The income tax probably will bring the new tariff law most for elbly to the attention of citizens. President Wilson and Democratic leaders in Congress believe, how ever, that the reduction of duties on clothing, foodstuffs and other necessaries of life and the con- plete removal of the duty from many articles will eventually bring reduction in the cost of living without materially affecting busi- ness prosperity.
 Average percentage of tariff rates as compared to the value of all imported merchandise: Old law, 37 per cent; new law, 27 per cent.
 Value of annual imports added to the free list, Si47,000,000.
 Estimated revenues from all im- port rates: Old law, S305, 100000 new law, S249,000,000.
 Eseimated revenue from corpora lions and income taxes: Old law S5LOO0,000; new law, Si22,O00,000. Altogether, consumers in the united States probably will receive rom abroad, free of all tariff, more than Si,000,000,000 worth of mer- chandise during the next year.