The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-04-18
Congressman Underwood Ex-
plains What Il Means to
the Country.
REDUCE REVENUE sso,ooQ,Ooo
Places Raw Wool on the Free List,
and Heavily Reduces the Sugar
Duty--RaIses Rates on Sew
eral ltems.

tariff from many articles Of food and
clothing, broad reductions in the rates
Of duty ON all necessaries OF life, an
increase of tariff on many Injuries,
and a new income tax that would touch
the pocket OF every American citizen
whose net income exceeds $4,000 are
the striking features Of the new Dem
ocratic tariff revision bill.
Sugar would be free Of duty In 1915,
the bill proposing an immediate rs per
cent. reduction and the removal OF the
remaining duty In 1915.
Raw wool would be made free at
once, with corresponding heavy re-
ductlon In the tariff on all wooden
goods.
Placed on the Free List.
Other articles are put on the free
list as follows: Meats, flour, bread,
boots and shoes, lumber, coal, harness,
saddlery, iron ore, milk and cream, po-
tatoes, salt, swine, corn, cornmeal,
cotton bagging, agricultural imple-
ments, leather, wood pulp, Bibles,
printing paper not worth more than
az cents a pound, typewriters, sewing
machines, typesetting machines, cash
registers, steel rails, fence wire, cot
ton ties, nails, hoop and band iron,
fish, sulphur, soda, tanning materials,
acetic and sulphuric acids, borax, lum-
Der products, including broom handles,
clapboards, hubs for wheels, posts,
laths. pickets, slaves, shingles.
These principal items are taken
from the free list and taxed: Rough
and uncut diamonds and precious
stones. furs, coal tar products, 10 per
cent; volatile oils, 20 per cent;
spices, from / cent to 2 cents per
pound.
chalrman's Comparative Table.
Chairman Underwood Of the, ways
and means committee, in his state
ment accompanying the new bill, gave
a comparative table to show reduc-
lions In tariff duties made upon neces-
garies. In each item both the pres
ent tariff and the proposed tariff had
been reduced to an advalorem basis.
The new rates are estimated to re-
duce the customs revenue approx
mately $SO,OOOOOO year. This is ex-
pected to be made up by the income
tax.
Endorsed by President Wilson, the
measure represents the efforts Of the
president and house tariff makers to
carry into effect Democratic pledges
of downward revision and Of conces-
sions to the American consumer
Protection to the farmer would be
cut throughout by more than SO per
cent. in an effort to reduce the cost
of food. Protection to the steel and
implement manufacturer would In
turn be cut by fully as wide margin.
Heaviest reductions fall upon food
stuffs, agricultural products, wooden
and cotton clothing.
Free Wool and Free Sugar.
The free wool proposal, backed by
President Wilson and accepted by the
house committee, is expected to pro-
woke severe fight within the Demo
cratic ranks of both houses. 1t had
not become clear whether the Demo
cratic opponents Of free wool and frye
sugar In the senate would be able to
force a compromise on one or both
these provisions.
The decision to make a gradual re-
duction in the sugar tariff was reach
ed by the president and the house
committee after Louisiana cane grow
ers declined a compromise that would
have established one-cent per pound
tariff for three years, with free sugar
in 1916.
Duty Cuts In Detail.
Chairman Underwood's statement
giving the changes in detail continues
as follows:
I'm the chemical schedule the rates
on certain commodities show heavy
reductions. For instance, boracic acid
is cut from 1870 per cent. to 21.4S per
cent, glue from 1906 per cent. to
1929 per cent. and red lead from $685.
per cent. to rs per cent Moderate re-
auctions have been made on medicinal
preparations, which are cut from 81
per cent to 10 per cent, backing from
25 per cent. to 10 per cent, drugs
from 1856 per cent. to 10 per cent.
and olive oil from 1918 per cent. to
21.O5 per cent. The schedule contains
number of articles on which either
no reduction has been made or an ad
vance provided for.
Rates on all brick have been cut
on the average from 1923 per cent
to 1923 per cent, tile from 47.S4 pei
cent to 1886 per cent, asphalt from
S705 per cent. to s.62 per cent Or