Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-12
THAT TARIFF BILL

The tariff is now to hold the floor
in the Senate. Its committee
having done its work the measure
comes into the open Senate and all
the members wishing to do so will
now have an opportunity to get their
tariff speeches into the record. After
this is done, and the most hopeful es-
innate is at least sixty days before the
Senate measure will be in readiness
TO go to committee of conference,
there will come the period devoted to
efforts to harmonic the divergent
views Of the House and Senate re-
srecting several features of the meas
ure.
Prominent among the differences of
opinion is that about valuations, the
House insisting on the American
plan as being the only method under
. which recognition may be had of the
Imitation of money in some of the
countries, Germany illustrating this.
This is in line with the Presidents
recommendation last December. al
though he did not go so far as to en-
dorse the so-called American valua-
ton. While rejecting that plan the
! Senate makes provision for dealing
with this depreciation Of currencies,
rcfa u c h
the fact that such depreciation en-
'ables those countries to produce and
sell in our market cheaper than we
can produce the President would be
given power to increase the rate of
duty from that country. He also
would be given power to change the
classification and remove articles
from the free to the dutiable list al
: though such power is not likely to be
exercised unless in event Of some un-
usual condition arising. He would,
under the Senate measure, be auth
orized, when informed OF organiza-
tions in foreign countries combining
to control prices in the American
market, to prohibit the importation
from such countries.
The summary of the rate COMPARE
sons does not afford much idea as be-
tween the House rates at the Amer
lean price valuation and the Senate
rates based on the foreign prices but
does give an idea of comparison with
the Underwood tariff.
Under the Senate bill there would
- be a duty on wheat of 30 cents per
bushel and there was none under the
democraticstariff But on rough rice
there would be three eighths Of a
cent per pound whereas under the
law the duty was higher.
one cent per pound. Cattle, sheep
:. swine free under the Democratic tar
; iff would be subject to duty. Con-
densed milk free under the Under
wood law would pay a duty, and on
butter and substitutes there would be
duty Of eight cents per pound. APP
pies would pay a duty Of 80 cents
where Underwood's law imposed but
10 cents per bushel. Irish potatoes
under this bill would be duitable'
where they came in free and hay
would be dutiable at 50 where it was
l,kl. hut
Ono OF the features concerning
which a contest Is expected is the
!. proposed sugar duty which the Sen
ate committee leaves where the
House committee placed 1t. two cents
on full duty sugar and 1.e on Cuban
sugars. The beet sugar interests will
nght to have the duty full on the Gu
ban sugars. The Senate committee
favors specific duties on leather and
green hides, the latter are now on the
free list and have been for many
years. The cotton men of the South
west are fighting to increase the pro-
posed duty Of seven cents a pound on
- long staple cotton to fifteen cents
These are but some OF the features
which assure a long drawn out con-
iroversy. but the country has arrived
at the conclusion that the time has
arrived for an adequate tariff law and
It's got to come.