Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-03-31
Payne, of the House Ways and
Means Committee, "GVes
1t Straight"
WRITES a LETTER TO M'CALL
Massachusetts Fan Wants Something
Done This Session.
Told That There Is No Demand for
Revision, Except Here and
There-Dingley Bill
Praised.

Washington, March 27.-What may
be regarded as the final pronounce
ment against tariff revision at the pres
ent session of congress is contained
the house ways and means committee,
in reply to a communication sent him
by Representative Mccall on behalf Of
the Massachusetts delegation in con-
gress. Mccall calls attention in his
communication to the declaration i'll
the Republican state platform of Mas
sachusetts for tariff revision with adj
herence to the policy of protection; and
to the declaration in the Republican
national platform regarding the read
justment of duties when conditions
demand, and entrusting the question to
a Republican president and congress.
d No Solid Demand Observed.
The Massachusetts view as present
ed is that conditions have so changed
as to demand change from the Dingley
rates, which have served nine years.
In his reply Payne first calls attention
to the method by which tariff legis-
ton must be brought abOut-by a con-
current view of the majority of the
party in power. He next points out
that this concurrent view does not eX-
ist. The house, he says, is divided
into groups of members, each group
favOring the modification Of different
schedules, while a majority of the Re
publicans in the house does not believe
that there should be any change at
all.
Congress Not Prepared.
He declares that the people have not
forgotten the disaster politically and
commercially which followed the tar
tiff change of 1890, and concludes with
the following reasoning: Congress is
not prepared to review the tariff
schedules in that calm, judicial frame
of mind so necessary to the prepara-
ton of a tariff act at time so near
the coming congressional elections. Tie
Dingley bill was the most successful
ever enacted. It's practical results were
so evident to the country during the
eighteen months that elapsed between
its passage and the next election that
the people have continued the policy
of that bill to the present day. 1t
would be unfortunate should any pre-
cipitate action in the future result in
a temporary reversal in the policy of
protection in the United States
Effect of the Dingley Bill.
''While it is true that some improve
ment could well be made in the rates
under the Dingley bill it was probably
as free from defect at the time of its
passage as any new law which could
now be enacted. During the nine
years of its operation the country has
enjoyed prosperity unparalleled, a pros
perit which at the present time is sim
ply marvellous. We may we'll hesitate
to take any chance of interrupting the
business of the country by a general
revision of the tariff, and we should
never enter upon it until we are Satis-
fec that such a revision will accom-
plih results far Outweighing any we'll
grmnded apprehension of business de-
PRESTON and consequent evil results
witch would come even temporarily
fDm such revision.
Can't Agree with Massachusetts.
Il cannot therefore agree with your
allegation that it would be best at the
resent session of congress to enter up
a a consideration of the tariff with a
lew to its revision and readjustment
While this is my individual opinion
nave reason to believe that it IS also
The Judgment of a decided majority of
the committee on ways and means"