The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-10-03
FREE TRADE BILL WILL
BECOME A Law TONIGHT
WILL TELL
HIS STORY IN COURT


industry and American consumers
and heavy reduction. of tarinf rates
on most of the articles in general use
in this country are It's chief features.
While certain portions of the new
law do not take effect at once, most
of its provisions and almost all the
direct tariff reductions, do. :
/ At every port collectors of customs,
appraisers of MERCHANDISE and hun
dreds of other employees OF the treas
ury department viii plunge at once
into the task Of collecting the ma
tion's revenue on a new basis, and
with hundreds of new classiGcations
and new provisios of law to commpli-
cate their activities.
Estimate Of Revenues.
The federal government has been
spending nearly a billion dollars a
year and the new tariff law viii raise
less than one-third of that sum. Re
cent estimates by tariff experts in
Congress predict that the rates will
raise s249 100000 year; and that the
income aud corporation tax will raise
sl22 100000. The remainder of the
governments income is made up prin-
cipally OF internal revenue taxes and
postal receipts.
The income tax probably win bring
the new tariff law most forcibly to
the attention of citizens. President
Wilson and Democratic leaders in
Congress believe, however. that the
reduction Of duties on clothing. food
stuffs and other necessities Of life,
and the complete removal of the duty
from many like articles. win even
tually bring reduction in the "cost
Of living. without materially affect
ing business prosperity.
Brief Summary.
A brief summary Of the new tariff
law as prepared for the Senate fol-
lows:
Average percentage of tarifL rates
as compared TO the value OF all i'm
ported merchandise: old law thirty
seven per cent; new law twenty-seven
per cent.
Value of annual imports added to
the free list $147OOO,OOo.
Estimated revenue from all import
rates: old law 1906, 100000; new law
$4,000, 600
Estimated revenue from corporation
ana income taxes: old law S37,O0o,00O;
new law $i22,OOO,ooO.
Altogether, consumers in the Uni
ted states probably will receive from
abroad free of all tariff. more than
81 .OOO,OOO,OOO worth OF merchandise
during the next year. During 1912
the amount of free imports" was
more than sSSOOOO,O0O. and when the
;arlff is entirely removed from wool
sugar, IRON ore and cheap iron, and
other important items, the total is ex-
pected to increase notable. Under the
old law more than ffty-three perez
OF all goods brought TO the United
states from all parts of the world
paid no tariff, and that proportion will
be increased by the new law.
x r.. &C.,. =, fnIe
The free wool provision of the new
law takes effect December /. 1918;
and the free sugar provision May J..
1916.
The new tariff law, passed four
years after President Taft signed the
existing Aldrich-Payne law, is the re-
suit Of more than nine months of
work in Congress. Hearings were
started January 6, by the House ways
and means committee. Chairman IN
!. derwood introduced the tariff bill
/ April :, Immediately after President
Wilson had convened the new Con-
gress. 1t passed the House May s md
the Senate September ..
In the opinion of its makers the
! Democratic leaders of Congress, thu
! most important features Of the new
: tariff are:
a reduction of nearly one-hai in
2 the average tariff on foodstuhs and
: farm products.
Raw Wool Free.
E The placing OF raw wool on H. free
! list. and reduction OF nearly two.
( thirds in the tariff on wooden 10th.
ing especially Of the cheaper grades
: 4 reduction Of one-third (averagel
Ion cotton clothing.
: Reduction OF the sugar tariC ana