The Washington times., 1922-09-19
VILE
!. ADOPT TARIFF q.
MEASURE TODAY
Bill Which Has Been in Con-
gress Twenty Months About
To Become Law.
By WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON,
International News Service.


International News Service.
The new Republican tariff bill
came to the end of It's long legisla-
tive journey through Congress today.
with the Senate ready to vote at
o'clock this afternoon on It's final
enactment.
Under q unanimous consent agree
ment, the Senate votes at that hour
on the measure as revised In con-
ference, and It's passage is assured.
The bill then goes to the White
House to become a law by the
Presidents signature.
With It's final passage pending.
the bill has survived twenty months
Of bitter partisan attacks In Con-
gress, and carries into law the high
est protective duties since the ad-
ministration of President Grant.
It's pathway after enactment will be
beset with additional troubles, for
leaders Of both parties admit It win
be tossed into the political mael-
strom OF the November elections az
one Of the chief party issues.
Displaces Present Tariff.
When the President signs the 5ill.
It viii formally displace the existing
emergency tariff act and the perme.
nent ns-Underwood law. At
the same time, 1t will supplant the
Democratic tariff for revenue" rates
Of the last eight years with The Re
publican protective tariff" policy.
The bill. as II goes to the President.
marked an innovation In tariff ratee,
for It provides protection for agricul-
tural products on the same terms
AZ manufactured articles. The
chief attacks on the bill. In fact, were
directed at the agriculture schedule,
and the chief defeat Of Its makers
was suffered in attempting TO place a
duty on long staple cotton.
The Senate's action In adopting a
unanimous consent agreement TO
vote this afternoon foreclosed all at
tempts to further amend the bill.
Under the rules the bill now must be
accepted as II stands and as II finally
passed the House. or II must be re-
jected In entirety. Because Of this
two attempts to replace the tariff on
cotton and to increase the dye rates
were abandoned. The bill will be-
come a law In the form 1t passed the
House.
Sugar Rate High.
The principal rates include $500
per 100 pounds on sugar. with a
preferential rate of sl1s on Cuban
sugar: 81 cents a pound on wool.
clean secured content basis: and Z
cents a pound. with IS per cent ad
valorem (American valuation) on
dyes.
The bill also carries precedent.
breaking provisions which authorize
the President to increase or decrease
rates not more than SO per cent and
to change rates from the foreign
valuation plan to the American valu-
alton. The President, however. can
not change dutiable articles to the
free list, or vice versa. or specific
rates to ad vaiorem rates.
Authority was also given the
President to arrange reciprocal
agreements with foreign nations by
which the tariff rates would be re-
duced IL the other nation made
similar concessions to the United
States. He can also increase rates
against any nation which ievies rates
porters.
~ Montns IN congress.
The measure will reach the White
House more than twenty months
after II was first taken up In Con.
gress. II was launched In Janu-
ary OF last year before the House
Ways and Means Committee, intro.
duced in the House on January 20,
1921, reported back six months
later, and passed by the House
July 81, 1921.
Going to the Senate the next day,
II remained In committee hearings
almost nine months, being re.
ported to the Senate April IL OF
this year. Debate was started in
the Senate on April 20 and lasted
almost continuously until the bill
passed on August 10. The confer.
ence followed, at which differences
in House and Senate rates were ad.
justed, and the House agreed to
the conference report last Friday.
rhe Senate's action today will! end
the bills legislative history.