The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-04-18
WILSON'S VIEWS
ON TARIFF BILL
Measure More Kindly Received
than He Expected.
LO0KSF0RGRADUAL REDUCTION

Thinks That Lowering Of Import Du.
ties VIII Not lmperiI Legitimate
Business and :. Anticipates No De-
precision Following Passage Of Un.
der~ood-simmons Act.
Washington, April Is. - President
Wilson's views on the probable ef-
iects OF the enactment of the pend.
ing tariff bill have been obtained for
the frst time. The president does
not expect that the revision will i'm.
mediately result in general reduc.
ton OF the cost of living.
No Immediate Effect Expected.
In making his position known Mr..
Wilson reminded his visitors that he
had been careful to say in the cam.
paign that he did not expect the new
tariff law to effect immediate reduc-
ton OF the cost of living, but that
what he did confidently expect was
that 1t would bring about situation
from which the desired price reduc.
tons eventually will result The
president attributes the existing high
cost Of living chiefly to an artificial
situation in prices kept up by ar
rangement among producers and cor
porations dealing in the necessaries
of life. He considers that these ar
rangements will become impossible
when a truly competitive situation is
created by the Underwood-Simmon
bill.
The benefit from the sugar sched-
ule he thinks should result very
promptly for the reason that the COM
petitive elements in the sugar trade,
as he is informed, are already pre-
pared to contest with one another.
The president has received many
confidential, reports from his friends
with regard to the attitude of the
public toward the bill now before the
house. From these he is confident
that the house measure is considered
"fair BILL" and he has been encour-
aged into the belief that its reception
is much better than might have been
anticipated.
S.N Thinks Bill Well Received.
OF course, reports have reached
him of the strong disapproval of in
terests which are affected by the re-
duced rates, but the president main
tains the belief that on all sides 1t Is
regarded as better bill than has
been expected. a, u SEES
Personally the president can see no
reason why any business depression
should follow the passage Of the
pending bill. He feels convinced that
any healthy business should be able
to continue without interruption, for
edoes not believe there is a single
schedule in the bill where healthy
business has been cut ''to the bone"
Mr.. Wilson is not seriously alarmed
by the criticisms which have been
made Of the bill by affected interests,
however legitimate their concern In
the rates may be. He does not be-
lieve that a single cut provided for in
the pending measure Is ruinous for
the industry involved.
Opinion on Sugar and Wood.
The president does not except the
sugar schedule from this generaliza-
ton upon the bill. He has investi-
gated the claim of the Ohio Demo-
cratic Representatives that the remov-
al Of the duty on wool will be ruin
Gus to the wool industry, but has
concluded from the fact that the
price of wool is the same in this
country and abroad that the conten-
ton is not well founded.
The same opinion on Mr.. Wilson's
part extends to the sugar industry.
He believes all sugar factories can
operate under free sugar law. That
some Of the sugar factories may shut
down he regards as entirely possible,
but he believes such action, If taken,
will be for effect and with the full in
tention on the part Of the owners to
open for business later on. He would
view such shutting down of sugar
factories with fortitude.