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Show SENATORS TO REDUCE RATES 0N1DJAM0NDS Importers Declare That 8ome of Their Number Will Deal Wltrt Smuggler Unless the Cut Is Made Washington, May 30. Diamond importers im-porters have scored a victory before the senate finance sub-committee In charge of the sundries schedule ot tho tariff bill, the committee having decided upon a reduction in the proposed pro-posed Underwood rate of 20 per ctnt ad valorem on cut diamonds. Tho present 10 per cent rate may be restored, re-stored, but It seems more probable that a IB per cent rato eventually will bo determined upon. When importer after importer appeared ap-peared before the commltteo hnd decided de-cided that any rate over 10 per cent on cut diamonds would Increase and greatly encourage smuggling, the members ot the committee began to Investigate their statements. TUi ally, when large Importers Insisted that a high rato on cut diamonds, assessed as-sessed with a view of obtaining revenue rev-enue on a luxury, would force sonio Importers to ally themselves with the smugglers, the committee took thi matter up with customs officials. Would Deal With Smugglers Members of tho diamond trade tariff tar-iff league of New York hhd declared that a 20 per cent duty would force dealers to buy diamonds from smugglers smug-glers despite their unwillingness to do so, and that In many cases they would buy smuggled diamonds un-knbwlngly. un-knbwlngly. Customs officials woro Inclined to verify this vlow and Informed In-formed members ot the committee that they would be opposed to so high a rate. Upon this Information the sub-corn-mittee, composed of Senators John! son, Hoke Smith hnd Hughes, decided decid-ed to change tho rate In the report to the full committee which will be made next week. Report About June 16 The outlook now Is that tho Democratic Demo-cratic caucus action on the tariff wm bo reported to the senato about June 16. Democratic leaders predict that tho opposition will tire of debating ' tho measure by July IB. Some He- I publican leaders probably would not ?! object to closing debate then unless "t7 It should develop that the democratic majority in favor of the administration administra-tion raeasuro can be broken. Should the ranks show signs of weakening on wool and sugar, the Republicans would continue to fight. The present program of the nepub-Hcans nepub-Hcans for debating the bill would consume con-sume nearly a month's time, allowing allow-ing for the intervening discussion by the Democrats. The most optimistic estimate at present is that the bill cannot become law before the middle ! of August, whatever happens. il B |